WILLIAM  GEORGE’S  SONS  Ltd 
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ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


ON 


GERMAN  CHURCHES; 

WITH 

NOTES  WRITTEN  DURING  AN  ARCHITECTURAL  TOUR 

IN 

PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


BY 

THE  REV.  W.  WHEWELL,  B.D., 

MASTER  OF  TRINITY  COLLEGE,  CAMBRIDGE. 


THE  THIRD  EDITION , 

TO  WHICH  ARE  ADDED 

NOTES  ON  THE  CHURCHES  OF  THE  RHINE, 

BY  M.  F.  DE  LASSAULX, 

ARCHITECTURAL  INSPECTOR  TO  THE  KING  OF  PRUSSIA. 


CAMBRIDGE, 

PRINTED  AT  THE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS; 

PUBLISHED  BY  J.  AND  J.  J.  DEIGHTON: 

AND  BY 

JOHN  W.  PARKER,  LONDON. 


M.DCCC.XLII. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/architecturalnot00whew_0 


CONT  E N T S. 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES  ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 

PAGE 

Description  of  the  Plates ix 

Preface  to  the  third  Edition xi 

Preface  to  the  second  Edition 1 

CHAP.  I. 

OF  THE  CAUSES  OF  POINTED  ARCHITECTURE. 

Sect.  1.  Of  the  Romanesque  and  Gothic  Styles 31 

Sect.  2.  Of  the  Origin  of  Pointed  Vaulting 36 

Sect.  3.  Of  the  Aisled  Form  of  Churches 42 

Sect.  4.  Of  the  kinds  of  Vaulting  employed  in  Churches. . . 44 

No.  1.  Cylindrical  Vault ib. 

2-  Semi-dome 45 

3.  Three  Aisles  of  equal  Height 46 

4.  Flat  Roof 48 

5.  Double  Compartments  with  Semi-cir- 
cular Arches  in  both  Directions 52 

a.  Alternate  Distinction  of  the  Piers 54 

b.  Distribution  of  the  Clerestory  Windows  56 

6.  Vaulting  with  Transverse  Ribs  Pointed, 

and  Longitudinal  Ribs  Semi-circular  ...  58 

7.  Vaulting  with  Transverse  and  Longitu- 
dinal Ribs  both  Pointed 59 

8.  Sexpartite  Vaulting 60 

9-  Octopartite  Vaulting 62 

10.  Octopartite  Vaulting  of  the  Apse 63 

Sect.  5.  On  the  Nomenclature  of  F an-tracery  Roofs , or 

Concavo-convex  Vaulting ib 

Sect.  6.  Order  of  Succession  of  the  Kinds  of  Vaulting. . . 67 

Sect.  7*  Influence  of  the  Pointed  Arch  on  other  Parts  of 

the  Architecture 69 

a — 2 


IV 


CON  TENT  S. 


CHAP.  II. 

OF  THE  CHARACTERS  OF  TRANSITION  OR  EARLY  GERMAN 
ARCHITECTURE. 

PAGE 

Sect.  1.  Difference  of  the  Early  English  and  Early  Ger- 
man Styles 7^ 

Sect.  2.  Characteristic  Details  of  Transition  or  Early 

German  Architecture 78 

I.  The  Plan ib. 

II.  The  General  outline 80 

III.  The  Vaulting 82 

IV.  Interior 85 

1.  Piers  and  Pier- Arches 86 

2.  Triforium 90 

3.  Clerestory 93 

4.  Aisle-Windows 96 

5.  Apse ib- 

6.  Intermediate  Compartment 97 

7.  Transept 99 

V.  Exterior 100 

1.  Windows..... 101 

2.  Corbel  Table ib. 

3.  Apse 102 

4.  Towers  104 

5.  Fronts............ 105 

6.  Porches 107 

7.  Buttresses 109 

Sect.  3.  On  the  Complete  Gothic  Style  in  Germany 112 

v 

CHAP.  III. 

SUGGESTIONS  ON  THE  MANNER  OF  MAKING  ARCHITECTURAL 

NOTES. 

Sect.  1.  On  Describing  Churches 116 

Sect.  2.  Nomenclature 120 

List  of  Technical  Terms  which  are  explained  in 

the  preceding  pages 121 

Sect.  3.  On  a Notation  to  express  Vaulting 123 

Sect.  4.  On  malting  Architectural  Notes  by  means  of 

Drawing 124 

Sect.  5.  List  of  Churches 126 


ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


PAGE 

Mayence 148 

Ingelheim 155 

Kidrich  and  Erbach 157 

Mittelheim  and  Johannisberg 158 

Eibingen 159 

Riidesheim ib. 

Bingen ^ l6l 

Ehrenfels 1(52 

Vautsberg ib. 

St  Clement’s  Church 163 

Oberdiebach  ib. 

Bacharach ib. 

The  Pfalz  in  the  Rhine 164 

Oberwesel 165 

Saint  Goar 166 

Reichenberg 167 

Thurnberg ib. 

Hirzenach  168 

Bornhofen  ib. 

Boppard t ib. 

Marksburg  ; .f. 169 

Oberlahnstein ib. 

Konigstahl 170 

Stolzenfels ib. 

The  Church  of  St  John 171 

Coblentz ib. 

1.  The  Church  of  St  Castor 174 

2.  The  Church  of  St  Florinus 177 

3.  The  Church  of  Notre  Dame 179 

4.  The  Dominican  Church 180 

5.  The  Franciscan  Church . . ib. 

6.  The  Jesuits’  Church ib. 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


uok 

7.  The  Church  of  St  George. 181 

8.  The  Church  of  the  Carmelites ib. 

g.  The  Church  of  St  Barbara ib. 

10.  The  Castle  Church  , . ib. 

The  Moselle  bridge  , ib. 

The  Archbishop’s  Fort 183 

The  Merchants’  House  near  St  Florian ib. 

The  Residence  Castle  of  the  Electors 184 

The  Theatre 185 

The  Dead  House ib. 

Thai  Ehrenbreitstein 186 

Ems 187 

V allendar  . ib. 

Niederwerth  188 

Bendorf ib. 

Sayn  ib. 

Romersdorf. 190 

Engers 1 9 1 

Neuwied ib. 

Andernach  ib. 

St  Thomas 1 95 

Leudesdorf ib. 

Namedy ib. 

Fornich 196 

Hammer  stein ib. 

Laach , ib. 

Rheineck 1 97 

Rheinbrohl I98 

Niederbreisig ib. 

Oberbreisig  . . — 199 

Leubsdorf ib. 

Dattenberg ib. 

Sinzig , ib. 

Linz 200 

Remagen ib. 

Apollinarisberg ib. 

Unkel  . 201 

Heisterbach  , ib. 

Godesburgh  ib. 

Bonn  ib. 

Schwartz- Rheindorf 203 


CONTENTS.  YU 

PAGE 

Cologne 203 

The  Cathedral  Church 204 

St  Mary 208 

St  Gereon 210 

The  Apostles’  Church -r  211 

St  Cunibert 213 

St  Peter 214 

St  Cecilia ib. 

St  Ursula 215 

St  Severin ib. 

The  Jesuits’  Church ib. 

St  Pantaleon . 216 

Great  St  Martin ib. 

The  Protestant  Church  217 

St  George ib. 

St  Columba  218 

The  Church  of  the  Minorites ib. 

St  Andreas ib. 

St  Mauritius 219 

Maria  Lyskirchen 220 

The  Ursulines’  Church ib. 

The  Town-hall ib. 

The  house  Giirzenich 221 

The  Arsenal 222 

The  Bergen  Tower ib. 

The  Foss ib 


NOTES  ON  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


Introduction . 131 

Abbeville  to  Amiens 1 36 

Abbeville.  St  Riquier.  Ailly  le  Haut  Clocher.  Belloy. 

Amiens 141 

Beauvais 148 

The  Flamboyant  Style 153 


Vlll 


CONTENTS, 


Outline  of  French  Cathedrals 

Comparison  of  French  Decorated  and  Flamboyant. 

Rouen.  (' Cathedral ) 

St  Ouen 

Comparison  of  Early  French  and  Early  English. 

Louviers 

Evreux 

Lisieux 

On  Different  kinds  of  Norman. 

Jumieges.  St  George  de  Bocherville  

Further  Account  of  French  Early  Gothic. 

Caen 

Ardenne  


Other  Specimens  resembling  Early  English 

Subles.  St  Lo.  St  Gilles.  St  Sauveur  le  Lendelm.  Perier. 

Isigny.  St  Loup.  Formigny.  Vaucelles.  Bayeux.  Tilly. 
Fontenay.  St  Auban. 

Transition  from  the  Norman  to  the  Gothic  Style. 

Cheux  

The  Transition  as  seen  in  French  Towers 


1 59 

164 

167 


175 

176 
177 

181 

187 

189 

193 

196 


201 

202 


St  Stephen  at  Caen.  St  George  de  Bocherville.  Jumieges.  Haute 
Allemagne.  Basse  Allemagne.  St  Michael  de  Vaucelles.  Ifs. 


Coutances.  St  Gilles. 

On  the  Formation  of  the  Gothic  Style 208 

On  the  Intersection  Theory 224- 

Comparison  of  French  and  English  Decorated 231 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  PLATES. 


Plate  I.  Represents  the  steps  which  form  the  transition 
from  circular  to  pointed  vaulting.  Fig  1.  is  Roman  vaulting 
(see  p.  37),  the  vault-arches  in  both  directions  being  semi- 
circular. Fig.  2.  represents  the  kind  of  vaulting  called  Welch 
vaulting,  which  was  necessary  when  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  vaulted  space  were  different,  and  both  were  covered 
with  semi-circular  vaults.  Fig.  3.  shews  the  way  in  which 
this  form  was  avoided  (p.  37 ; and  p.  58,  No.  6’.)  the  vault-arch 
in  one  direction  being  still  semi-circular,  and  this  vault  being 
crossed  by  another  pointed  one,  of  the  same  height  but  smaller 
width.  Fig.  4.  (p.  37;  and  p.  58,  No.  6.)  has  pointed  vault- 
arches  both  ways.  Fig.  5.  (p.  60,  No.  8.)  represents  sex- 
partite  vaulting:  all  the  vaults  being  pointed.  Fig.  7*  is  octo- 
partite  vaulting  on  a square  base,  and  Fig.  8.  octopartite 
vaulting  on  an  octagonal  base  (p.  62,  and  63,  Nos.  Q.  and  10.). 
For  Fig.  6.  see  Plate  iv. 

Under  the  figures  in  this  plate  are  placed  the  symbols 
which  would  represent  the  vaulting  according  to  the  system 
explained  p.  123. 

Plate  II.  Three  Ground-Plans  with  their  vaulting,  (see 
p.  78).  Fig.  9,  the  Cathedral  at  Mentz,  represents  a Roman- 
esque Cathedral,  with  both  east  and  west  apses,  two  transepts, 
towers  at  each  crossing,  and  a pair  of  towers  at  each  end 
(p.  79)-  The  vaulting  of  the  east  apse  is  a semi-dome  (p.  45), 
of  the  west  apse,  polygonal  with  acute  cells  (p.  63).  The 
vaulting  of  the  center  aisle  is  groined,  with  only  the  transverse 
ribs  pointed  (p.  58) ; the  next  lateral  aisles  are  Roman  vault- 
ing ; the  exterior  aisles  are  of  more  modern  work,  and  are 
pointed  both  ways. 

Fig.  10,  St  Aposteln  at  Cologne.  A transverse-triapsal 
church,  with  a large  western  tower;  two  smaller  towers  at  the 
east,  and  an  octagonal  pyramid  at  the  eastern  crossing.  (See 
p.  79)-  It  has  also  a western  transept.  The  apses  are  vaulted 


X 


DESCRIPTION  OP  THE  PLATES. 


with  semi-domes : the  old  vaulting  of  the  center  aisle  is  sex- 
partite  on  the  double  compartments,  and  cylindrical  on  the 
single  ones ; the  modern  vaulting  (represented  by  dotted  lines) 
has  acute  transverse  vaults  over  each  single  compartment,  the 
longitudinal  vault  being  semi-circular.  (See  p.  62,  98,  and  118). 

Fig.  11.  Abbey  Church  of  Laach.  A parallel-triapsal 
church,  (see  p.  98),  with  a semi-circular  apse  at  each  end,  a 
pair  of  square  towers  at  the  east,  and  of  round  towers  at  the 
west,  two  transepts  and  towers  at  the  two  crossings.  (See 
p.  79)*  The  three  aisles  have  each  Roman  vaulting  in  single 
compartments.  There  are  three  apses  towards  the  east,  each 
with  a semi-dome  A portal- cloister  (see  p.  105)  occurs  at 
the  west  end. 

These  Plans  were  drawn  by  the  eye  without  any  measure- 
ment, and  have  no  pretensions  to  exactness  of  proportions  or 
details. 

Plate  III.  Perspective  view  of  Laach,  exhibiting  the  six 
towers  just  mentioned,  with  their  galleries,  windows,  pan- 
neling,  corbel-tables,  gables  and  roofing.  (See  p.  80).  The 
semi-circular  west  end  also  is  shewn,  and  part  of  the  portal- 
cloister. 

Plate  IV.  Fig.  6.  Part  of  a Romanesque  Cathedral,  with 
Roman  vaulting  in  double  compartments;  shewing  the  origin 
of  the  triforium  space,  clerestory,  alternate  piers,  and  cleres- 
tory windows  in  pairs.  (See  p.  43,  and  49-) 

Fig.  12.  A compartment  of  the  Church  at  Sinzig,  drawn 
in  memorandum  lines  only,  (see  p.  124),  exhibiting  the  prin- 
cipal and  intermediate  piers,  vaulting  pillars,  triforium,  and 
fan-shaped  clerestory  windows.  (See  p.  94.) 

Fig.  13.  Ground  Plan  of  a pier  of  engaged  shafts  and 
pier-edges.  (See  p.  87*) 

Fig.  14.  Ground  Plan  of  a pillar,  with  square  abacuses  set 
obliquely.  (See  p.  9 5.) 

Phg.  15.  Cornice  which  occurs  over  the  apsidal  gallery. 
(See  p.  102.) 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 


As  the  Architectural  Notes  on  German  Churches 
have  for  some  time  been  out  of  print,  and  as  the 
little  book  which  contains  them  is  copiously  quoted 
in  a striking  article  which  has  recently  appeared  in 
the  Quarterly  Review , a new  edition  of  the  work 
has  been  recommended  by  the  publishers. 

Both  the  Notes  on  German  Churches  and  the 
Notes  written  during  an  Architectural  Tour  in 
Normandy  are  now  reprinted  without  alteration. 
For  though  they  contain  several  doubtful  or  unten- 
able opinions,  it  would  be  impossible  to  rectify  such 
defects  without  entirely  altering  the  nature  and 
character  of  the  publication. 

My  Notes,  as  they  originally  appeared,  contained 
certain  views  of  the  theoretical  history  of  architec- 
ture, which  gave  to  the  facts  described,  a manifest 
significance  and  connection ; and  if  the  interpreta- 
tions thus  offered,  of  the  resemblances  and  differences 
of  different  buildings,  were  such  as  have  not  always 
been  confirmed  by  further  research,  they  had  at 
least  truth  enough  in  them  to  make  the  inspection 
of  architectural  monuments,  such  as  those  of  which 
I had  spoken,  attractive  to  many  Readers  as  well 
as  to  the  Author.  In  this  manner  my  classifi- 
cations and  descriptions,  somewhat  precarious  and 


Xll 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 


hypothetical  though  they  were,  had  perhaps  some 
share  in  promoting  that  clearer  insight  into  the 
nature  of  architecture  which  has  been  diffused 
among  us  in  the  course  of  the  last  few  years,  and 
of  which  the  Reviewer  speaks  in  the  above  men- 
tioned article.  The  faults  of  my  work  could  not 
be  removed  without  destroying  any  interest  which 
may  belong  to  it;  and  I now  put  it  forth  in  its 
original  form,  not  as  containing  doctrine  which  I 
am  at  present  disposed  universally  to  defend,  but  as 
illustrating  the  recent  progress  of  men’s  minds  on 
the  subject  of  architecture.  Theoretical  views,  even 
when  only  partly  true,  or  even  when  false,  may  serve 
to  exhibit  clearly  and  pointedly  relations  which 
would  otherwise  seem  vague  and  obscure ; and,  with 
proper  warning,  they  need  not  pervert  our  views  of 
facts.  If  in  these  pages  I have  mixed  that  theore- 
tical history  of  architecture  which  is  derived  from 
the  relations  of  style,  with  the  actual  history  of 
buildings,  which  must  rest  upon  documents  and 
dates,  I hope  that  this  has  not  been  done  in  such  a 
way  as  to  lead  any  reader  into  error  or  confusion. 

Doubtless,  however,  it  is  desirable  to  combine 
these  two  lines  of  history ; and  it  is  highly  inter- 
esting to  compare  the  place  of  a building  in  the 
theoretical  and  in  the  actual  course  of  architec- 
ture. But  the  determination  of  the  dates  of  build- 
ings and  parts  of  buildings,  from  external  and 
documentary  evidence,  is  a far  more  laborious  and 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 


Xlll 


difficult  process  than  the  reference  of  such  specimens 
to  established  architectural  styles.  I have,  on  all 
accounts,  been  compelled,  for  the  most  part,  to  leave 
this  more  arduous  part  of  the  antiquary’s  task  to 
others.  But  in  the  present  edition,  I have  added 
to  the  Notes  on  German  Churches,  a contribution 
from  an  abler  hand,  which  may  in  some  measure, 
supply  this  deficiency,  so  far  as  regards  the  churches 
on  the  Rhine.  My  valued  friend,  M.  de  Lassaulx 
of  Coblentz,  whose  accurate  and  comprehensive 
knowledge  of  the  history  of  German  architecture 
is  universally  recognized  in  his  own  country,  has 
added  a series  of  Historical  Architectural  Remarks 
to  that  which  is  considered  the  best  of  the  44  Rhine 
Tours.”  I have  inserted  in  this  edition  a transla- 
tion of  these  Remarks.  In  consequence  of  the  want 
of  leisure,  I have  been  compelled  to  consign  to 
another  hand  the  task  of  translation,  but  I hope 
that  errors  in  the  rendering  of  architectural  terms 
and  phrases  have  been  avoided. 

The  second  portion  of  this  volume  contains 
Notes  of  an  Architectural  Tour  in  Normandy.  For 
additional  remarks  on  the  edifices  referred  to  in  this 
part,  I may  refer  to  the  communications  made  by 
my  fellow  traveller  to  the  Society  of  Antiquaries, 
(Four  Fetters  on  the  Ecclesiastical  Architecture 
of  France , hiy  Thomas  Rickman , Esq.,  1833.) 
And  I cannot  pass  over  the  present  occasion  of 
gratefully  acknowledging  the  obligations  which  all 


XIV 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 


students  of  Architecture  have  to  that  excellent 
and  sagacious  man,  whose  recent  loss  we  are  still 
deploring.  His  classification  of  the  styles  of  Eng- 
lish Architecture,  with  his  selection  of  the  distinc- 
tive characters  of  each  style,  and  his  fixation  of 
the  language  of  the  science,  were  strokes  of  genius 
which  quite  changed  the  aspect  of  the  subject,  as 
soon  as  their  influence  was  generally  diffused.  In- 
stead of  a wavering  use  of  vague  terms,  and  a 
loose  reference  to  undefined  distinctions,  which  had 
previously  prevailed  in  works  on  Christian  Archi- 
tecture, Mr  Rickman  offered  to  the  world  a phrase- 
ology so  exact  that,  as  lie  said,  “ the  student 
should  be  able  to  draw  the  design  from  the  de- 
scription,” and  a division  of  styles,  followed  out  into 
its  characters  in  every  member  of  the  architecture. 
He  thus  enabled  his  readers  to  acquire  a know- 
ledge of  details  as  precise  as  that  possessed  by 
practical  builders,  while  at  the  same  time  this 
study  of  particulars  was  made  subservient  to  the 
most  comprehensive  views  of  antiquarian  criticism  ; 
and  by  this  means  the  literary  and  the  practical 
architect  were  brought  to  a mutual  understanding, 
which  has  been  of  immense  service  to  both. 

The  interest  which  the  study  of  architecture 
has  now  acquired  among  cultivated  men  is  shewn 
by  a vast  number  of  architectural  books  which 
have  been  recently  published,  and  of  architectural 
societies  which  have  been  formed : but,  rendering 


PREFACE  TO  THE  THIRD  EDITION. 


XV 


all  due  honour  to  the  merits  and  exertions  of 
subsequent  writers  and  critics,  we  may  still  ven- 
ture to  say  that  the  foundation  of  all  the  most 
valuable  part  of  that  which  they  have  done  with 
respect  to  English  Architecture,  is  laid  in  the 
labours  of  Rickman. 


Trinity  College, 
June  27,  1842. 


ZZ. 


c^7" r SC  . 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 


A new  edition  of  the  Architectural  Notes  on 
German  Churches  having  been  demanded  for  some 
time,  I now  republish  the  work,  adding  to  it  an- 
other Collection  of  Architectural  Notes,  of  the  same 
kind,  and  with  the  same  humble  pretensions.  The 
hypotheses,  comparisons  and  classifications  which  I 
have  employed  in  these  remarks,  must  he  looked 
upon  rather  as  means  of  describing  what  I saw,  in 
such  a manner  as  to  make  it  bear  upon  the  general 
history  and  philosophy  of  the  art,  than  as  assertions 
made  confidently  after  thorough  examination  of  the 
whole  subject.  For  the  latter  task  I had,  as  I have 
stated,  no  leisure  or  opportunity. 

It  has  been  therefore  no  source  of  mortification 
to  me,  that  Dr  Boisseree,  after  speaking  of  the 
Architectural  Notes  in  a manner  far  more  favour- 
able than,  from  a person  so  profoundly  acquainted 
with  German  Architecture,  I had  ventured  to  hope, 
has  said  that  I have,  “though  rightly,  too  exclu- 
sively assumed  the  method  of  vaulting  as  the  lead- 
ing principle”  of  the  developement  of  the  pointed 
style*:  or  that  Mr  Willis,  in  his  singularly  in- 
structive Remarks  on  the  A rchitecture  of  the  Mid- 
dle Ages , (p.  iv.)  has  declared  himself  compelled 

* Denkmale  der  Bankunst  am  Nieder  Rhein,  p.  40. 

2 


2 


PREFACE  TO  THE 


to  dissent  from  my  hypothesis.  Though  the  hypo- 
thesis may  not  contain  the  whole  account  of  the 
formation  of  the  Gothic  style,  it  may  still  have  the 
effect  of  bringing  into  view  relations  and  connexions 
which  really  exerted  a powerful  influence  on  the  pro- 
gress of  architecture : and  thus  it  will  have  an  im- 
portant place  even  in  those  theories  which  ascribe 
the  rise  of  Gothic  Architecture  to  the  joint  operation 
of  many  causes.  But  before  I attempt  to  point  out 
what  place  this  is,  I will  say  a word  on  the  pre- 
sent state  of  the  problem. 

The  architecture,  like  the  literature,  which 
sprang  up  in  the  middle  ages  in  transalpine  Europe, 
has  gradually  risen  from  contempt  to  honour.  First 
despised,  then  tolerated  as  convenient,  then  won- 
dered at  as  whimsical  and  lawless,  it  has  at  length 
come  to  be  admired  as  beautiful  and  excellent,  and, 
at  the  present  day,  takes  its  seat  in  equal  dignity 
by  the  side  of  the  Art  of  ancient  Greece  and  Borne. 
It  is  now  acknowledged  that  this  architecture  has 
its  own  proper  principles  of  truth  and  unity,  and 
is  to  be  comprehended  and  criticised  by  reference  to 
these,  and  not  by  applying  to  it  rules  extracted 
from  a different  class  of  works,  or  by  demanding 
of  it  a symmetry  and  simplicity  as  foreign  to  its 
nature,  as  “the  unities”  are  to  the  modern  historical 
drama.  This  acknowledgement  was  long  before  it 
came,  but  it  is  now  probably  generally  assented  to. 
“Gothic  Architecture,”  says  an  intelligent  writer 


SECOND  EDITION. 


8 


in  the  Quarterly  Review  for  July  1827,  “is  an 
organic  whole,  having  within  it  a living  vegetating 
germ.  Its  parts  and  lines  are  linked  and  united, 
they  spring  and  grow  out  of  each  other.”  So  long 
as  men  were  blind  to  this  character  of  unity  and 
connexion  in  the  members  of  this  form  of  art,  it 
was  impossible  that  they  could  speculate  with  any 
distinctness  or  success  on  the  conditions  and  causes 
of  its  rise  and  progress ; so  long  as  they  did  not 
perceive  clearly  what  it  was,  they  could  not  discern 
how  it  came  to  be ; so  long  as  they  did  not  under- 
stand the  language  of  Gothic  Architecture,  they 
could  not  trace  its  phrases  to  their  roots.  So  long 
as  mere  arbitrary,  or  at  least  partial  forms  (as  the 
pointed-arch)  were  the  received  marks  by  which 
this  style  was  recognized  among  antiquaries,  they 
could  not  philosophically  investigate  the  origin  and 
developement  of  its  principles.  And  even  after  it 
was  perceived  that  this  architecture  had  principles, 
that  it  was  a connected  and  organic  whole,  much 
confusion  and  indistinctness  still  remained  to  per- 
plex the  enquiry.  Even  after  it  wras  seen  that 
Gothic  architecture  had  general  laws,  it  was  by  no 
means  easy  to  see  what  those  laws  were ; though 
the  spectator  perceived  that  it  had  vitality,  it  was 
a hard  task  to  put  into  words  the  principle  of  its 
life.  The  ancient  metaphysicians,  in  this  respect 
wiser  than  the  modern  ones,  made  definition  not  the 
first,  but  the  last  step  in  knowledge.  Assuredly, 

2 — 2 


4 


PREFACE  TO  THE 


in  matters  of  classification,  and  especially  in  matters 
of  Art,  a perception  of  difference,  even  an  exact  ap- 
preciation of  the  distinction,  and  an  inward  posses- 
sion of  the  principles  of  the  opposite  instances,  may 
long  precede  the  power  of  stating  the  principles  in 
distinct  abstract  terms.  In  such  cases,  a criterion 
which  will  bear  a general  application  strikes  us  as 
something  of  the  nature  of  a discovery  : it  is,  and 
deserves  to  be,  applauded  as  a specimen  of  “ true 
wit  ” according  to  the  poet’s  description  of  it : 

“ What  oft  was  thought,  but  ne’er  so  well  expressed.” 

I will  not  undertake  to  assert  that  such  a de- 
finition of  the  essential  principles  of  Gothic  archi- 
tecture has  ever  been  offered  to  us;  but  I do  not 
hesitate  to  say,  that,  in  my  opinion,  Mr  Rickman 
and  Mr  Willis  together  have  given  us  such  a col- 
lection of  fundamental  maxims  with  regard  to  the 
differences  and  antitheses  of  this  style  and  the  rival 
one,  as  may  stand  in  the  place  of  a definition  for 
the  purposes  of  that  investigation  of  which  I have 
been  speaking.  I refer  to  the  statement  of  the 
distinctions  of  the  Classical  and  Gothic  Styles, 
which  Mr  Rickman  has  exhibited  in  two  parallel 
columns,  (. Attempt  to  discriminate  the  Styles  of 
Architecture , 4th  edition,  p.  110),  and  to  which 
Mr  Willis  has  made  some  important  additions  in 
the  same  form,  ( Remarks  on  Architecture , p.  158). 
These  tabular  statements  of  the  leading  features 
of  Gothic  as  contrasted  with  Grecian  architecture, 


SECOND  EDITION. 


5 


ought  to  be  constantly  present  to  the  minds  of 
those  who  are  endeavouring  to  arrive  at  any  know- 
ledge on  this  subject,  and  are  quite  invaluable  for 
the  distinctness  they  give  to  our  views  and  spe- 
culations. 

By  referring  to  these  statements,  it  will  be  seen 
that,  among  the  features  of  decorative  construction 
which  occur  in  the  styles  of  the  middle  ages,  and 
which  did  not  occur  in  the  styles  of  Greece  and 
Rome,  we  may  select  the  following  five  as  of  pri- 
mary importance : 

1.  The  arch  is  essential,  the  entablature  is 
not;  and  the  columns  support  arches  instead  of 
entablatures. 

2.  There  are  any  number  of  planes  of  deco- 
ration one  behind  the  other.  When  we  have  in 
this  way  several  arches  under  one,  we  are  led,  as 
Mr  Willis  has  shown,  to  tracery ; when  we  have 
arches  of  different  forms  one  under  another,  we  are 
led  to  foliation. 

3.  The  weights  are  divided  into  as  many  parts 
as  possible,  and  these  are  given  to  independent 
props ; whence  we  have,  among  other  results,  clus- 
tered piers  and  pillars. 

4.  The  diagonal  pressures  of  the  arch  are  dis- 
played, whence  we  have  buttresses  and  pinnacles . 

5.  And  generally,  the  running  and  dominant 
lines  are  vertical  in  this  style,  as  they  were  hori- 
zontal in  the  ancient  styles. 


6 


PREFACE  TO  THE 


111  this  statement  the  pointed  arch  enters  as 
one  of  the  various  forms  of  arches  mentioned  in 
the  second  rule ; and  though  its  use  became  after- 
wards almost  universal  and  exclusive,  it  can  never 
be  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  great  essentials  of  the 
style,  or  placed  upon  the  same  footing  with  the 
principles  just  enumerated.  What  we  have  to  do 
then,  if  we  would  follow  to  its  sources  the  history 
of  Gothic  architecture,  is  to  trace,  as  far  as  we  can, 
from  what  origin,  and  under  what  circumstances, 
each  of  these  principles  made  its  way  into  general 
use  in  the  buildings  of  the  middle  ages. 

The  defect  in  the  earlier  investigations  of  this 
subject  was,  that  they  attended  only  to  a portion 
of  the  second  of  these  principles,  neglecting  almost 
entirely  the  others.  Some  traced  the  pointed  arch 
to  the  countries  of  the  East ; and  these  persons 
were,  by  their  brother  antiquaries,  playfully  termed 
Ostrogoths.  They  have  always  been  a powerful 
body,  and  I perceive  that  Mr  Willis  himself  joins 
this  eastern  horde:  to  this  I can  easily  reconcile 
myself,  if  it  is  borne  in  mind  that  he  goes  with 
them  only  as  far  as  the  arch ; and  that  whatever 
influence  the  new  and  fantastical  forms  of  openings 
may  have  had  on  the  details  of  the  new  style,  they 
go  but  a very  little  way  in  constituting  its  essence. 
Indeed,  we  can  hardly  refuse  to  allow  that  the 
pointed  arch  (as  well  as  several  other  forms)  is  in- 
digenous in  the  East,  whether  or  not  we  assert  that 


SECOND  EDITION. 


7 


it  flowed  into  the  W est  from  thence : for  we  cannot 
easily  persuade  ourselves  that  all  such  arches  in 
Oriental  countries  are  derived  from  the  influence 
of  European  art.  But  it  will  be  found  that  in  the 
Oriental  examples  we  miss  exactly  those  other  prin- 
ciples above  stated,  which  entitle  the  architecture 
to  be  termed  Gothic  in  our  classification. 

In  assigning  the  derivation  of  each  of  the  above 
five  principles,  much  probably  may  yet  be  effected 
by  antiquarian  and  historical  labour ; since  we  have 
now  the  object  of  our  research  far  more  distinctly 
before  our  eyes  than  we  had  before  the  publication 
of  Mr  Willis’s  Remarks.  By  what  has  already 
been  done,  we  see  something  of  the  probable  origin 
of  these  principles,  and  of  the  processes  by  which 
they  have  been  introduced  and  established. 

Thus  the  change  in  the  office  of  the  columns, 
from  supporting  the  entablature  to  supporting  the 
arch,  almost  inevitably  followed  after  the  intro- 
duction of  the  arch ; since,  as  is  observed  in  the 
following  pages,  the  arch  was  the  principal  open- 
ing, and  the  columns  the  principal  supports. 

The  introduction  of  several  planes  of  decoration 
is  one  of  the  most  material  steps  in  the  progress 
of  the  new  style,  and  has  not,  so  far  as  I am  aware, 
been  historically  investigated.  It  can  hardly  be 
doubted  that  this  mode  of  building  is  of  European 
origin,  for  to  this  day  it  is  not,  I believe,  effectively 
employed  in  the  architecture  of  any  other  country. 


8 


PREFACE  TO  THE 


The  first  suggestion  of  this  combination  may  be 
assigned  to  the  Roman  introduction  of  the  arch 
into  Grecian  achitecture ; for,  in  this  manner,  there 
were  produced  two  planes  of  decoration ; one,  con- 
sisting of  the  traditional  scheme  of  structure,  the 
columns  and  entablature ; the  other  behind  it,  con- 
taining the  real  construction,  the  arch  and  the 
impost  mouldings.  And  though  this  combination 
is,  in  reality,  incongruous  and  inevitably  transi- 
tional, it  would  be  impossible  for  a genuine  artist 
not  to  perceive  that  it  disclosed  an  extraordinary 
richness  and  depth  of  effect : and  the  European 
architects  of  the  middle  ages  who  could  appreciate 
and  admire  this  effect,  were  naturally  led  to  carry 
it  still  further  by  introducing  other  additional 
planes.  They  then  sought  to  vary  the  forms  and 
characters  of  these  planes,  and  in  doing  this  they 
may  have  adopted  from  Oriental  or  other  foreign 
countries  (as  I have  already  allowed)  the  various 
forms  of  arch,  pointed,  trefoil  or  ogee,  which  fancy 
had  produced  among  nations  whose  architecture  had 
no  organic  principle  to  control  such  caprices.  Thus 
we  see  in  modern  Italian  architecture  a wanton  and 
fantastical  love  of  variety  in  the  forms  of  pediments. 
But  in  the  middle  ages,  the  general  character  and 
conditions  of  the  system  soon  reduced  all  other  forms 
of  arch  into  an  entire  subordination  to  the  pointed. 

Again,  the  same  examples  which  presented  the 
multiplied  planes  of  decoration,  suggested  also  the 


SECOND  EDITION. 


9 


partition  of  support ; for  the  columns  and  the  arch 
form  two  different  mechanical  systems.  Now,  in 
order  to  consider  a work  of  art  as  beautiful,  we 
must  see,  or  seem  to  see,  the  relations  of  its  parts 
with  clearness  and  definiteness.  Conceptions  which 
are  loose,  incomplete,  scanty,  partial,  can  never 
leave  us  pleased  and  gratified,  if  we  are  capable  of 
full  and  steady  comprehensions.  The  desire  for 
this  completeness  and  definiteness  in  our  con- 
ceptions of  objects  of  art,  may  be  assumed  as  one 
of  the  influences  by  which  art  is  formed  and 
modified.  This  tendency,  combined  with  the  geo- 
metrical faculty,  with  the  clear  notion  of  space, 
led  to  the  combination  of  various  planes  of  tracery, 
and  to  the  formation  of  solid  and  complex  masses 
in  which  the  solidity  and  the  complexity  were 
palpably  lightened  and  simplified  by  subordination 
of  position  and  form.  In  like  manner,  the  same 
love  of  distinctness  of  apparent  relations,  combining 
with  the  mechanical  faculty,  with  the  clear  notion 
of  force  and  resistance,  led  to  the  apparent  distri- 
bution of  the  weights  and  thrusts  of  the  visi- 
ble members  of  the  architecture  to  a number  of 
different  props  and  supports.  And  thus,  using 
Mr  Willis’s  valuable  distinctions  and  terms,  com- 
pound-arches led  to  edge-shafts  in  the  trans- 
alpine parts  of  Europe,  while  a more  superficial 
application  of  the  same  principle  produced  rolls 
and  nook-shafts  in  Italy ; and  these  features  of 


10 


PREFACE  TO  THE 


Romanesque  architecture  led  the  way  to  Gothic. 
The  same  consideration  applies  to  that  which  I 
have  quoted  as  the  fourth  distinctive  maxim  of 
Gothic  architecture,  the  studious  display  of  the 
diagonal  pressures  of  the  arch,  and  the  consequent 
introduction  of  buttresses,  pinnacles,  corner-turrets, 
and  other  features. 

The  remaining  maxim  of  those  above  stated, 
the  predominant  sway  of  the  vertical  lines  of  the 
structure,  is  of  a more  wide  and  general  nature 
than  those  which  I have  hitherto  noticed.  This 
is,  in  fact,  the  peculiar  and  characteristic  principle 
of  the  Gothic  style ; and  whatever  may  be  the 
details  of  the  building,  if  this  principle  be  not 
unequivocally  and  throughout  enunciated,  the  work 
is  not  true  and  genuine  Gothic  architecture.  We 
may  see  in  many  parts  of  Europe,  and  especially 
in  Italy,  how  inefficient  pointed  arches  alone,  and 
any  other  of  the  mere  formalities  of  the  style,  are 
to  convey  its  true  spirit  and  character,  when  this 
supreme  principle  does  not  rightly  operate. 

This,  then,  I conceive  to  be  really  the  formative 
principle  of  the  Gothic  architecture,  and  the  first 
full  apprehension  of  this  idea  to  be  the  effort  of 
taste  to  which  that  form  of  art  is  due.  It  was 
this  thought  which  gave  unity  and  consistency  to 
the  new  style,  and  disclosed  a common  tendency 
in  the  changes  which  had  been  going  on  in  the 
different  members  of  the  architecture.  And  the 


SECOND  EDITION. 


11 


very  fact  of  this  character  being,  when  once  ap- 
plied, so  manifest  and  simple  a mode  of  combining 
the  parts  of  the  structure  into  a harmonious  whole, 
shows  how  much  of  genius  there  was  in  the  dis- 
covery, since  undoubtedly  there  was  a time  when 
the  principle  did  not  appear  in  the  forms  of  build- 
ings, and  there  still  are  countries  which  can  shew 
no  examples  of  it,  and  architects  who  have  not 
learnt  its  true  meaning. 

In  a succeeding  part  of  this  Volume  I have  en- 
deavoured further  to  illustrate  this,  and  especially 
to  make  it  appear,  that  the  habit  of  considering  the 
interior  of  churches  as  the  most  important  field  for 
the  display  of  architectural  style  and  beauty,  led 
almost  irresistibly  to  the  introduction  of  the  ver- 
tical principle.  Indeed  I may  observe  that  the 
interior  gave  rise  to  the  most  ornamental  members 
and  to  the  general  forms  of  composition  of  Gothic 
architecture,  as  the  exterior  did  of  Grecian.  For 
though  classical  columns  may  be  used  in  the  in- 
terior of  buildings,  that  is  not  their  genuine  position, 
as,  even  when  so  used,  their  cornice  informs  us ; 
while  the  columns  of  Gothic  buildings  are  piers 
with  shafts  attached  for  purposes  of  vaulting,  and 
thus  essentially  belong  to  an  interior. 

I have  however  further  to  remark  that  among 
the  distinctions  which  I have  quoted  from  the  works 
of  Mr  Rickman  and  Mr  Willis,  there  is  not  any 
which  refers  especially  to  the  roof  of  the  building. 


PREFACE  TO  THE 


12 

But  in  another  part  of  his  book  Mr  Willis  has  con- 
sidered this  subject  with  his  usual  sagacity.  44  In  the 
Decorative  construction  of  a Gothic  vault,”  he  says 
at  p.  81,  44  the  ribs  assume  the  principal  part  in  the 
support  of  the  roof;”  whereas  in  a Roman  building 
the  vault  lies  as  a solid  mass  upon  the  walls,  its 
framework  not  having  any  ostensible  mechanical  re- 
lation to  the  structure  below.  I had  endeavoured  to 
shew  in  my  Notes  on  German  Churches,  that  the  de- 
sire of  constructing  arched  vaults  crossing  each  other 
led  to  the  general  use  of  the  pointed-arch;  and  I 
still  think  that  the  attempt  to  construct  a vaulted 
covering,  in  such  a manner  that  it  should  he  in 
architectural  harmony  with  the  rest  of  the  struc- 
ture, did  tend  more  than  any  other  cause  to  the 
prevalence  of  such  arches.  It  is  true,  as  Mr  Willis 
has  observed,  that  the  abstract  problem  of  vaulting 
an  oblong  space  had  been  solved  by  the  Romans, 
so  that  we  cannot  ascribe  the  invention  of  pointed 
arches  to  the  bare  necessities  which  such  vaulting 
introduced.  But  how  could  a portion  of  Roman 
vaulting,  with  its  sinuous  groining  line,  have  been 
placed  on  a compartment  of  a church  in  which 
such  tendencies  as  we  have  been  considering  were 
at  work  to  modify  and  connect  the  members? 
While  all  other  parts,  arches,  piers,  openings,  &c. 
are  traced  with  strong  lines,  and  brought  out  by 
shadow  after  shadow  on  the  retiring  surfaces,  shall 
the  vault  remain  a smooth  and  ribless  sheet  of 


SECOND  EDITION. 


13 


stone?  While  all  the  other  parts  of  the  structure 
have  their  lines  of  bearing  made  prominent  and 
conspicuous,  shall  the  roof,  the  most  remarkable 
part  of  the  mechanical  construction,  have  no  ap- 
parent mechanism,  and  give  to  the  eye  none  of 
that  pleasure  which  the  display  of  constructive 
relation  produces?  This  would  manifestly  be  in- 
consistent, unsatisfactory,  unsightly.  We  must 
then  have,  in  the  roof,  ribs,  transverse,  longitu- 
dinal, and  especially  diagonal,  because  at  the  groin 
we  have  a solid  projecting  edge,  apparently  un- 
supported. But  shall  these  diagonal  ribs  follow 
the  sinuous  line  of  the  unequal-sided  Roman  vault- 
ing? It  is  clear  that  this  would  be  both  very  ugly, 
and  inefficient  for  the  requisite  purpose.  We  must 
therefore  have  some  mode  of  vaulting  which  will 
provide  ribs  capable  of  being  acknowledged  by  the 
eye  as  lines  of  support  in  the  construction,  lines 
of  order  and  reference  in  the  decoration.  Nor  is 
this  object  effectually  attained  by  the  Byzantine 
invention  of  a dome  resting  on  four  pier  masses,  or 
by  a series  of  such  domical  coverings ; though  this 
method  was  employed  in  Romanesque  buildings,  as 
I have  mentioned  in  another  part  of  the  present 
volume.  For  if  the  compartments  of  the  vault  be 
really  domes  with  no  groins  or  edges,  they  cannot 
be  consistently  decorated  till  we  introduce  the 
process  of  general  panneling,  which  only  came 
into  use  as  the  last  stage  of  Gothic  ornamental 
construction,  both  in  England,  France  and  Ger- 


14 


PREFACE  TO  THE 


many.  And  if  the  compartments  are  made  oblong 
spaces  domically  vaulted,  but  with  manifest  groins, 
we  want  some  general  principle  which  shall  select 
and  fix  the  forms  of  these  prominent  lines  in  the 
decorative  construction ; nor  can  I discern  any  such 
principle  which  will  answer  the  purpose,  except  the 
adoption  of  the  pointed  arch  as  the  pervading  rule. 
This  necessity  appears,  I think,  in  the  domical 
ribbed  vaulting  of  the  Early  Gothic  to  which 
Mr  Willis  refers,  p.  77.  Thus  a consistent  and 
harmonious  system  of  vaulting  can  be  obtained 
in  no  way  but  by  the  use  of  pointed  arches.  I 
formerly  attempted  to  show  this,  and  to  point  at 
the  manner  in  which  the  operation  of  this  neces- 
sity appears  in  the  churches  of  the  Rhine ; and 
I think  the  considerations  and  instances  I there 
adduced  must  he  allowed  to  have  some  weight. 
Even  if  we  grant  that  the  pointed  arch  among 
many  other  forms,  as  a matter  of  fancy  and  caprice, 
was  borrowed  from  some  foreign  models,  we  have 
still  to  explain  the  way  in  which  the  pointed  arch 
gained  the  mastery  over  all  other  forms,  so  that 
they  became  subordinate  to  it,  as  when  the  trefoil 
appears  in  feathering,  or  the  ogee  in  canopies. 
This  universal  predominance  of  the  pointed  arch 
is  no  doubt  the  joint  result  of  convenience  and  of 
harmony  of  form and  these  causes  operate  in  other 
parts  of  the  fabric  as  well  as  in  the  vaulting ; but 
in  no  other  part  so  imperatively  or  so  universally. 

Looking  back,  then,  at  what  has  been  said,  we 


SECOND  EDITION. 


15 


obtain  a consistent  view  of  the  origin  of  the  Gothic 
style.  The  introduction  of  the  arch  undermined 
the  Grecian  system  of  entablature,  and  introduced 
a double  plane  of  decoration;  the  ruin  of  taste 
and  art  supervening  upon  this,  broke  up  still  fur- 
ther the  Roman  traditional  arrangement ; caprice 
and  the  love  of  novelty  introduced  new  forms  of 
members  and  ornaments  into  this  incoherent  mass: 
arches  of  various  shapes  were  invented  or  borrow- 
ed ; the  Byzantine  dome  was  added  to  the  previous 
forms  of  Roman  vaulting*.  So  far  all  is  a proof 
of  disorganization.  But  then  comes  in  a new  prin- 
ciple of  connexion  first  and  of  unity  afterwards : 
the  lines  of  pressure  are  made  the  prominent  fea- 
tures ; the  compound  arches  are  distributed  to  their 
props ; the  vaults  are  supported  by  ribs ; the  ribs 
by  vaulting  shafts ; the  upright  meeting  of  the 
end  and  side  is  allowed  to  guide  the  neighbouring 
members;  finally  the  general  authority  of  vertical 
lines  is  allowed;  the  structure  is  distributed  into 
compartments  according  to  such  lines,  each  of  these 
being  symmetrical  in  itself.  The  continuity  of  up- 
right lines  being  established,  the  different  planes 
of  decoration  glide  into  tracery  and  feathering,  and 
the  Gothic  system  is  complete. 

The  reader  will  see  how  large  a portion  of  this 
general  view  is  founded  upon  Mr  Willis’s  admirable 
work.  It  is  on  this  account  the  more  necessary  for 

* Historical  Essay  on  Architecture,  by  the  late  Thomas 
Hope,  p.  1 32. 


16  PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

me  to  state,  that  whatever  agreement  may  be  found 
between  his  opinions  and  those  which  are  offered  in 
the  latter  part  of  this  volume,  all  such  coincidences 
are  accidental,  each  work  having  been  written  in 
entire  ignorance  of  the  contents  of  the  other.  If, 
indeed,  I had  become  acquainted  with  Mr  Willis’s 
views  and  nomenclature  before  I made  my  Norman 
tour,  I should  have  possessed  a great  advantage,  as 
the  reader  of  his  book  will  easily  suppose.  My 
descriptions  would  have  been  expressed  in  accord- 
ance with  his  analyses  and  classifications,  and  there 
is  not  one  of  the  pages  of  my  Notes  which  would 
not  have  been  greatly  modified.  I have  written 
in  like  ignorance  of  Mr  Hope’s  Historical  Essay 
on  Architecture,  which  has  just  appeared.  As 
the  establishment  of  well-understood  terms  is  a 
material  advantage  in  this,  as  in  other  subjects,  I 
hope  I may  take  the  liberty  of  objecting  to  the  ex- 
pression “ Lombard  Architecture,”  which  Mr  Hope 
applies  to  the  Romanesque  of  every  part  of  Europe. 
His  historical  grounds  for  this  name  are,  I conceive, 
altogether  visionary,  at  any  rate  when  we  go  be- 
yond the  limits  of  Italy  : and  the  term  Romanesque 
is  now'  so  generally  understood,  and,  on  the  whole, 
so  unobjectionable,  that  we  should  certainly  lose 
in  attempting  to  displace  it  by  another,  without 
very  strong  reasons. 


Trinity  Coi.Lr.GF,  April  6,  1835. 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE 


TO  THE 

ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES  ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


The  following  pages  contain  the  substance  of 
some  notes  on  churches,  made  during  a rapid  tour 
through  a part  of  Germany,  with  a few  remarks  sug- 
gested by  what  I there  observed.  The  matter  con- 
tained in  them  appears  to  me  to  add  something  to 
our  published  information  on  this  subject ; and  I am 
persuaded,  that  by  extending  and  arranging  similar 
observations,  we  should  be  led  to  some  interesting 
and  satisfactory  views  on  the  progress  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal architecture  in  Germany. 

As  I see  no  prospect  of  my  having  leisure  to 
pursue  the  point  myself,  I place  these  materials  in 
the  hands  of  the  public;  with  the  hope  that  they 
may  stimulate  or  assist  others,  who  may  take  up 
the  subject  with  better  opportunities  of  doing  it 
justice. 

It  might  perhaps  be  worth  while  to  publish  these 
memoranda,  even  if  I had  no  other  object  than  to 
guide  and  assist,  in  some  measure,  those  who  may 
visit  Germany  with  a wish  to  study  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal architecture  of  the  country.  I have  myself  felt 

how  welcome  to  a traveller  so  employed,  are  the 
3 


18 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


smallest  and  most  imperfect  hints  of  what  he  is  to 
see.  A single  phrase,  especially  from  any  one  whose 
studies  have  been  architectural,  may  direct  him  to 
objects  which  will  give  him  the  greatest  pleasure, 
or  may  save  him  from  a tedious  journey,  ending  in 
the  unprofitable  magnificence  of  some  Italianizing 
church.  It  will,  I think,  appear  from  the  following 
pages,  that  there  are  abundant  sources  of  interest  to 
the  English  antiquary  in  the  country  through  which 
I travelled,  and  that  the  German  churches,  both 
from  their  resemblances  and  from  their  differences 
as  compared  with  our  own,  may  eminently  illustrate 
the  subject  of  church  architecture,  which  has  so  long 
been  in  our  country  a favorite  topic  of  speculation. 

I cannot,  however,  pretend  to  deny,  that  I have 
mixed  up  with  these  indications  and  statements 
something  of  theory  and  system.  This  has  taken 
place  almost  without  my  having  intended  it.  It  so 
happened,  that  the  churches  which  came  under  my 
notice  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Rhine,  illus- 
trated very  remarkably  an  opinion  which  had  long 
appeared  to  me  almost  certain,  with  regard  to  the 
introduction  of  the  pointed  arch.  Some  of  the  modes 
of  building  assumed  in  this  theory,  which  had  been 
only  hypothetical  suppositions  when  it  was  applied 
to  English  churches,  were  found  existing  as  com- 
mon architectural  practices  in  Germany.  It  seemed 
worth  while  to  explain  to  others  this  curious  coinci- 
dence of  the  theoretical  and  actual  progress  of  things: 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


19 


and  I was  thus  led  to  arrange  my  observations  on 
German  churches  in  subordination  to  this  view.  The 
consequence  has  been,  that  this  Essay  has  partly 
assumed  the  shape  of  a disquisition  on  the  origin 
of  Gothic  Architecture,  instead  of  that  of  a collec- 
tion of  architectural  notes,  which  was  the  form 
originally  contemplated. 

The  doctrine  which  seems  to  me  so  probable  is, 
as  may  be  seen  in  the  following  pages,  that  the 
adoption  of  the  pointed  arch  in  vaulted  roofs  arose 
from  the  requirements  of  vaulting,  and  from  the 
necessity  of  having  arches  of  equal  heights  with 
different  widths:  and  it  appears  moreover  that  the 
succession  of  contrivances  to  which  these  circum- 
stances gave  birth,  is  found  more  completely  de- 
veloped, and  probably  more  ancient,  in  the  German 
edifices  than  in  our  own. 

If  it  be  allowed  that  this  account  of  the  origin 
of  the  pointed  arch  is  the  true  one,  it  will  perhaps 
be  granted  without  much  difficulty  that,  from  its 
original  situation  in  the  vaulting,  this  form  of  arch 
was  gradually  diffused  into  every  other  part  of  the 
building.  This  opinion  accordingly  I am  disposed 
to  entertain,  though  I do  not  consider  it  to  be 
susceptible  of  the  same  exactness  of  proof  as  the 
former  tenet:  and  I have  tried  to  shew  that  this 
was  the  manner  in  which  the  old  system  of  archi- 
tectue,  derived  from  the  classical  styles,  was  finally 
converted  into  one  of  a different  and  opposite  kind. 

3 — 2 


20 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


According  to  this  view,  all  the  other  changes 
which  are  found  in  company  with  the  newly-adopted 
pointed  arch,  may  be  considered  as  the  natural 
manifestations  of  the  new  character  thus  impressed 
upon  art.  The  features  and  details  of  the  later 
architecture  were  brought  out  more  and  more  com- 
pletely, in  proportion  as  the  idea,  or  internal  prin- 
ciple of  unity  and  harmony  in  the  newer  works, 
became  clear  and  single,  like  that  which  had  per- 
vaded the  buildings  of  antiquity:  the  characteristic 
forms  of  the  one  being  horizontal,  reposing,  definite ; 
of  the  other  vertical,  aspiring,  indefinite*. 

* The  contrast  of  character  which  exists  between  the 
Grecian  and  the  Gothic  styles  is  well  marked  by  Mr  Rickman. 
But  the  various  rules  and  arrangments  which  he  has  pointed 
out  as  opposite  in  the  two  systems,  combine  in  each  case  to 
make  a common  impression  on  the  mind,  and  flow  from  some 
fundamental  principle.  It  is  suggested  to  me  by  a friend, 
that  this  distinctive  principle  of  construction  in  the  Gothic 
architecture  appears  to  be  the  admission  of  oblique  pressures, 
and  inclined  lines  of  support.  In  Grecian  architecture  the 
whole  edifice  consists  of  horizontal  masses  reposing  on  vertical 
props.  In  Gothic  buildings  on  the  contrary,  the  pointed  arch 
is  always  to  be  considered  as  formed  by  two  sides  leaning 
against  each  other  at  top,  and  pressing  outward  at  their  lower 
ends.  The  eye  recognizes  this  statical  condition  in  the  leading 
lines  of  the  edifice,  and  requires  the  details  to  conform  to  it. 
We  have  thus  in  the  Grecian  buildings  nothing  but  rectangular 
forms  and  spaces:  horizontal  lines  with  vertical  ones  subordi- 
nate to  them.  The  pediment  is  one  mass  with  its  horizontal 
cornice,  and  does  not  violate  this  rule.  Arches,  when  they 
occur,  are  either  subordinate  parts,  or  mark  the  transition  style, 
in  which  the  integrity  of  the  principle  is  no  longer  preserved. 
In  Gothic  works,  on  the  other  hand,  the  arch  is  an  indispens- 
able and  governing  feature:  it  has  pillars  to  support  its  ver- 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


21 


It  does  not  appear  that  the  degree  of  attention 
which  the  circumstance  so  well  deserves,  has  yet 
been  given  to  the  extraordinary  uniformity  of  one 
particular  style  of  Gothic  architecture,  as  it  is  found 
over  a large  part  of  Europe.  The  style  to  which 
I refer,  belongs  to  that  which  Mr  Hickman  has 
called  “The  Decorated*,”  in  its  earlier  form,  and 
with  a prevalence  of  circular  tracery.  The  cathedral 

tical,  and  buttresses  to  resist  its  lateral  pressure:  its  summit 
may  be  carried  upwards  indefinitely  by  the  joint  thrust  of  its 
two  sides.  All  the  parts  agree  in  this  character  of  infinite 
upward  extension,  with  an  inclination  or  flexure  to  allow  of 
their  meeting  at  top;  and  thus  obviously  require  and  depend 
on  pressures  acting  obliquely. 

* Mr  Rickman’s  terms  “ Early  English,”  “Decorated,” 
“ Perpendicular”  architecture,  have  been  objected  to.  It  is  a 
sufficient  reason  for  continuing  to  employ  these  words,  that 
they  have  been  so  much  more  accurately  defined  and  discri- 
minated than  any  other  terms  of  classification.  But  I conceive 
that  some  of  the  objections  which  have  been  raised  against 
these  names,  have  arisen  from  not  attending  precisely  to  the 
views  with  which  they  were  imposed.  They  were  apparently 
intended  to  distinguish  each  style  from  the  preceding  one : and 
for  this  purpose  they  are  significant  enough.  The  Decorated 
differs  principally  from  the  Early  English  in  exhibiting  a 
greater  degree  of  decoration  : the  Perpendicular  varies  from  the 
later  Decorated  mainly  in  having  certain  perpendicular  mem- 
bers, mullions,  which  in  the  Decorated  are  not  perpendicular 
throughout.  And  the  term  Rectilinear,  which  has  been  sug- 
gested, would  not  apparently  be  an  advantageous  substitute  for 
Perpendicular;  for  the  mullions,  the  only  members  to  which 
the  description  applies  distinctively,  are  rectilinear  only  so  far 
as  they  are  perpendicular.  The  term  “Early  English”  have 
accidentally  a peculiar  propriety,  inasmuch  as  this  style  is 
found  almost  exclusively  in  England : at  least  it  does  not  occur 
in  Germany. 


22 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


of  Cologne  may  be  taken  as  the  great  type  or  ex- 
emplar of  this  style  ; it  corresponds  pretty  nearly  in 
character  with  such  English  buildings  as  the  east 
end  of  Lincoln  cathedral,  the  chapter-house  and 
nave  of  York,  the  nave  of  Exeter.  St  Ouen  at 
Rouen,  the  choir  at  Amiens,  are  French  examples. 
Germany  and  the  Low  Countries  abound  with  them  : 
along  with  Cologne  we  may  mention  Altenburg, 
Oppenheim,  Strasburg.  This  mode  of  architecture 
seems,  in  fact,  to  have  occupied  almost  the  whole  of 
Europe,  at  least  north  of  the  Alps,  with  a singular 
identity  of  spirit  and  character ; and  with  a very 
remarkable  uniformity  in  subordinate  members,  and 
even  in  minute  details.  In  different  countries  it 
succeeded,  apparently  in  different  manners,  the  pre- 
vious architecture  which  had  been  formed  by  an 
imperfect  imitation  of  Roman  models : and  in  each 
case,  when  the  architects  have  entirely  emancipated 
themselves  from  the  forms  of  this  degraded  Roman, 
they  fall  into  the  same  new  style  ; which  thus  seems 
to  afford,  in  each  country,  a goal  and  resting  place 
after  a period  of  progression  and  change. 

In  England,  indeed,  the  case  was  somewhat 
peculiar.  We  possess  a style,  the  “Early  English” 
of  Mr  Rickman,  preceding  that  Decorated  to  which 
we  have  ascribed  this  European  diffusion ; and  this 
style  may  be  considered  as  retaining  very  few  traces 
of  the  Roman  or  Romanesque  character.  It  may  be 
said  that  with  us  the  Gothic  system  was  fully  es- 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


23 


tablished  when  this  style  had  become  universal. 
Though  fully  established,  however,  the  new  cha- 
racter was  not  thus  completely  matured.  The  dif- 
ferences between  this  English  architecture  and 
the  Complete  Gothic*  of  the  Continent  are  clearly 
marked ; and  it  is  obvious  that  the  additional  changes 
introduced  in  the  latter  are  such  as  to  present  a still 
further  developeinent  of  the  Gothic  principles.  The 
abundant  use  of  window- tracery  in  the  latter  case, 
compared  with  its  entire  absence  in  the  former,  is 
a sufficiently  broad  distinction ; and  besides  this 
difference,  the  modes  of  clustering  the  shafts  and 
mouldings,  and  of  forming  the  buttresses  and  win- 
dows, are  limited  with  a sort  of  severity  and  mo- 
notony in  the  Early  English  style,  which,  in  the 
continental  edifices  of  this,  and  the  English  edifices 
of  the  next  period,  is  exchanged  for  a freer,  more 
flexible,  and  more  fertile  rule. 

It  seems  to  me  a most  curious  fact,  that  the 
English  architects  should  have  gone  by  a path  of 
their  own  to  the  consummation  of  Gothic  archi- 
tecture, and  should  on  the  road  have  discovered  a 
style,  full  of  beauty  and  unity,  and  quite  finished  in 
itself,  which  escaped  their  German  brother-artists. 
It  will,  I think,  be  proved  that  this  is  the  case* 

* What  is  here  said  will  shew  in  what  sense  I have,  in  the 
following  pages,  used  the  phrase  " Complete  Gothic.”  In  Ger- 
many it  designates  the  Decorated  style,  because  there  they 
have  no  previous  fully  developed  Gothic:  but  in  England  it 
includes  both  the  Early  English  and  the  Decorated. 


24 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


by  any  one  who  examines  the  German  churches. 
Those  of  them  which  belong  to  the  steps  of  the 
transition  from  the  Homan  manner  to  that  of  Co- 
logne, have  nowhere  a character  clear  and  inde- 
pendent, and  distinct  from  either  of  those.  They 
differ  by  gradations  of  more  or  less,  by  changes  of 
one  part  or  another,  the  style  advancing  over  the 
interval  without  apparently  finding  any  interme- 
diate position  of  equilibrium.  For  the  sake  of  col- 
lecting into  one  view  the  phenomena  of  this  tran- 
sition, and  of  noting  local  peculiarities,  I have  given 
an  enumeration  of  the  characters  of  Early  German 
architecture.  But  by  this  term  I designate,  not  a 
single  and  definite  style  like  the  Early  English 
of  Salisbury  and  Lincoln,  but  the  collection  of  all 
the  forms  which  occur  after  the  great  change  had 
begun,  and  before  it  was  completed ; from  the  just- 
wavering  Romanesque  of  Mentz  or  Worms,  to  the 
multiplied  but  not  quite  Gothic  elements  of  Lim- 
burg and  Gelnhausen. 

I fear  that  some  of  my  readers  may  expect  to 
find  in  the  following  pages  more  information  than 
I have  given,  concerning  the  dates  of  particular 
buildings,  or  the  exact  chronology  of  the  different 
styles  of  architecture.  I am  obliged  to  abstain,  at 
present,  from  entering  directly  upon  this  field.  I 
am  well  aware  that  such  discussions  might  be  more 
interesting  than  description  and  theory  can  hope  to 
be;  and  it  is  undeniable  that  those  enquiries  are 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


25 


very  essential  to  complete  our  knowledge  of  archi- 
tectural history.  But  strong  reasons  withhold  my 
pen  from  such  topics.  The  unavoidable  length  to 
which  these  antiquarian  lucubrations  spread,  and 
the  quantity  of  time  and  learning  which  they  re- 
quire, may  excuse  their  absence  from  a small  and 
subsidiary  essay  like  the  present  one : and  besides 
this  consideration,  there  seems  to  he  an  advantage 
in  studying  separately  the  two  things  which  we  are 
afterwards  to  compare; — the  differences  of  style,  and 
the  differences  of  date.  If  there  really  he  any  con- 
sistency and  uniformity  in  the  several  buildings  of 
the  same  epoch,  we  ought  to  he  able  to  detect  this 
agreement  by  examining  the  buildings  alone : and 
when  we  are  satisfied  of  this  common  character,  we 
shall  know  what  problem  we  have  to  solve  in  in- 
vestigating when  and  how  these  epochs  followed 
each  other.  We  have  to  compare  the  internal  evi- 
dence of  derivation  or  succession  with  the  external 
evidence  of  time ; and  what  I have  here  contributed, 
is  intended  to  illustrate  the  former  term  of  this 
comparison. 

To  tell  the  truth,  the  difficulties  of  the  histo- 
rical branch  of  the  enquiry  are  sufficient  to  deter 
any  one  from  engaging  himself  hastily  in  its  per- 
plexities. The  paucity  and  indistinctness  of  the 
notices  of  the  erection  of  early  buildings ; the  diffi- 
culty of  identifying  those  described  with  those  that 
still  exist;  the  confusion  of  works  protracted,  sus- 


26 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


pended,  built  in  imitation  of  others,  or  in  accommo- 
dation to  them ; the  alternation  of  destructions  and 
reparations; — all  the  chances  that  can  happen  to 
edifices  or  to  authors,  combine  to  unsettle  the  faith 
of  the  architectural  antiquary.  And  the  lesson  thus 
taught  us  seems  to  be,  that  though  we  are  to  exa- 
mine the  history  of  particular  buildings  as  carefully 
as  we  possibly  can,  we  are  not  to  give  to  any  one 
of  them  too  great  a weight  in  determining  our  ar- 
chitectural chronology;  but  to  take  rather  the  age 
which  is  collectively  inferred  from  many  resembling 
churches. 

If  we  reject  this  maxim,  we  may  be  left  in  no 
small  embarrassment;  and  this,  in  fact,  seems  to 
have  befallen  the  architectural  enquirers  of  modern 
times ; as,  for  instance,  in  the  case  of  Coutances. 
The  cathedral  of  Coutances  in  Normandy  is,  for  the 
most  part,  in  a style  which  has  a great  resemblance 
to  our  Early  English,  and  appears  to  be  not  less 
advanced  than  our  good  buildings  of  that  class.  Its 
towers  have  tall  pointed  windows,  divided  into  two 
lights  by  single  or  double  slender  shafts ; they  have 
clustered  shafts  at  their  corners,  and  octagonal  tur- 
rets, also  decorated  with  shafts,  and  finished  with  a 
pyramid  of  stone.  The  interior  in  like  manner  has 
throughout  pointed  arches,  abundance  of  small  roll 
mouldings,  slender  shafts  with  capitals  of  upright 
leaves,  variously  clustered,  grouped,  and  supported  by 
corbels ; the  profiles  of  piers  and  of  mouldings,  the 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


27 


vaulting,  the  triforium  balustrade,  the  clerestory 
windows,  are  all  in  the  same  style.  In  short  the 
cathedral  is  decidedly  Early  Gothic,  with  few  or 
no  traces  of  Romanesque  or  Norman.  This  Early 
Gothic,  or,  as  we  term  it,  Early  English  style,  is  by 
the  best  authorities  held  to  have  made  its  appear- 
ance among  us  about  1189 ; and  it  has  been  com- 
monly believed,  that  the  generality  of  churches  in 
France  agree  pretty  well  with  this  English  epoch. 
But  if  we  receive  the  date  which  the  best  evidence 
seems  to  fix  for  Coutances,  we  shall  have  the  new 
style  fully  developed  in  Normandy  a century  and 
a half  too  early  for  this  doctrine.  M.  Gerville,  in 
the  first  volume  of  the  Memoirs  of  the  Academy  of 
Antiquaries  of  Normandy,  has  endeavoured  to  shew 
that  the  church  in  question  was  built  and  dedicated 
before  the  year  1056;  and  he  has  offered  evidence 
better  than  can  generally  be  had  in  such  cases,  to 
prove  that  the  building,  of  which  the  Monkish 
chronicler  gives  us  this  account,  was  not  replaced  by 
another  at  a time  more  consistent  with  the  received 
theory.  This  case  is  important,  because  the  ano- 
maly at  Coutances  is  not  the  pointed  arch  only, 
which  may  probably  be  produced  of  as  early  a date 
in  other  instances,  but  the  whole  style  of  the  build- 
ing, which  according  to  M.  Gerville’s  view  is  an 
anticipation  by  130  years,  of  our  architecture. 

There  appears  to  be  a case  in  Germany  almost 
as  rebellious  as  Coutances  to  established  opinions. 


28 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


in  the  cathedral  of  Bamberg.  This  church  is  an 
instance  of  what  I have  called  Early  German  archi- 
tecture. It  has  pointed  pier  arches,  and  pointed 
vaulting ; the  piers  have  slender  shafts  attached,  the 
mouldings  are  small  rolls;  there  are  clustered  and 
banded  shafts  with  capitals  of  upright  foliage;  a 
polygonal  west  apse,  vaulted  with  very  acute  cells, 
and  many  similar  features.  The  German  antiqua- 
ries would  agree  very  nearly  with  our  English  ones, 
in  attributing  this  building,  from  the  evidence  of  its 
style,  to  a period  somewhere  about  the  middle  of  the 
12th  century.  But  it  seems,  that  so  far  as  the  ex- 
ternal evidence  goes,  we  must  take  a date  consider- 
ably earlier.  The  foundation  of  the  bishopric  of 
Bamberg  by  the  emperor  Henry  II.  in  1007,  is  an 
event  which  occupies  a prominent  place  in  German 
history ; and  in  connection  with  this  occurence,  we 
find  that  the  cathedral  which  had  been  already 
begun,  was  dedicated  in  1012.  Bishop  Otto,  who 
held  the  See  from  1104  to  1130,  is  stated  to  have 
rebuilt  the  west  end,  which  had  suffered  by  a fire ; 
and  accordingly  there  are  in  this  part  the  features 
of  a style  somewhat  later  than  that  of  the  eastern 
choir. 

In  the  same  manner  the  church  of  St  George 
at  Limburg  on  the  Lahn,  which  shews  a still  more 
clear  approximation  to  the  Gothic,  is  said  to  have 
been  finished  in  1058.  It  is  exceedingly  difficult 
to  reconcile  such  statements  with  the  character  of 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


29 


buildings  which  are  known  to  belong  to  dates  ap- 
proaching these. 

The  succession  of  the  earlier  style  seems  to  be 
preserved  unbroken  in  existing  edifices.  Spires, 
Mentz  and  Worms,  are  spoken  of  in  the  succeeding 
pages  as  three  great  examples  of  the  Romanesque ; 
and  the  greater  part  of  these  mighty  edifices  is 
clearly  and  altogether  different  from  the  succeeding 
style.  Of  these  buildings  the  dates  are  said  to  be 
historically  known.  Spires  was  founded  by  Conrad 
II.  in  1030,  and  finished  in  1061.  The  east  end  of 
Worms  is  earlier  still,  and  is  of  the  time  of  Henry 
II.  (who  died  1024).  The  oldest  part  of  Mentz  is 
said  to  be  of  the  date  of  Archbishop  Willigis,  be- 
tween 978  and  1009- 

These  buildings,  except  Spires,  have  pointed 
arches  in  the  vaulting,  but  all  the  other  arches  and 
openings  are  round,  and  the  members  altogether 
Romanesque.  Other  remains  in  Germany  enable 
us  to  pursue  still  further  back  the  Romanesque 
architecture.  St  Mary  Capitoline  at  Cologne  is  said 
to  be  incontestably  of  the  ninth  century:  the  chapel 
at  Lorch,  so  eminently  Roman  in  its  character,  is 
attributed  to  the  same  age ; and  if  we  include 
Italian  buildings  in  our  researches,  there  will  pro- 
bably be  no  difficulty  in  tracing  the  gradations  of 
this  achitecture  from  the  classical  times,  to  the  pe- 
riod when  the  rudiments  of  the  newer  style  begin 
to  prevail. 


30 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


But  if  we  descend  in  the  order  of  time,  it  seems 
to  be  a much  harder  task  to  determine  the  epoch 
and  progress  of  the  transition  from  the  B,omanesque 
to  the  Gothic.  It  does  not  appear  that  the  dates 
of  the  transition  churches  of  Germany  are  generally 
known  there ; even  buildings  of  considerable  splen- 
dor belonging  to  this  class,  as  Gelnhausen,  Ander- 
nach,  Boppart,  are  dated  by  writers  according  to 
internal  evidence  only : and  the  cases  where  we 
have  other  testimony,  as  Bamberg  and  Limburg, 
serve  rather  to  make  the  matter  more  obscure.  We 
may  however  hope  for  much  light  from  the  spirit  of 
research  and  interest  on  this  subject,  which  appears 
at  present  to  be  so  extensively  and  actively  at  work 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  many  of  these  edifices. 

If  we  descend  still  further,  we  find  ourselves 
among  buildings  of  which  the  date  is  somewhat 
more  certain  : and  the  period  of  the  full  develope- 
ment  of  the  Gothic  style  may  perhaps  be  fixed  with 
some  accuracy.  And  it  would  appear,  that  this  style 
in  Germany  belongs  to  a time  somewhat  earlier  than 
the  resembling  style  in  England,  though  not  so 
early  as  the  earliest  good  Gothic  in  this  country. 
The  same  also  appears  to  be  the  case  in  France, 
so  far  as  the  investigations  of  Dr  Whittington  and 
others  have  gone.  If  we  take  the  dates  of  the 
most  conspicuous  examples  of  Early  Gothic  build- 
ings, we  find  them  as  follows.  The  Early  English 
of  Salisbury  and  of  the  south  transept  of  York 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


31 


belongs  to  about  1220.  Westminster,  also  of  good 
Early  English  work,  was  begun  in  1245,  by  Henry 
III.  The  Decorated  Architecture  of  Germany 
treads  close  on  the  heels  of  this.  Cologne  was 
begun  in  1248:  the  front  of  Strasburg  built  in  1276. 
The  resembling  examples  in  our  own  country  are 
but  a little  later.  The  presbytery  of  Lincoln  is  of 
1282,  retaining  much  of  the  Early  English  in  its 
character.  The  chapter-house  of  York,  and  the 
nave  of  Exeter  come  in  later,  between  1291  and 
1330:  the  chapter -house  of  Wells  between  1293 
and  1302.  Oppenheim  was  built  between  1262  and 
1317,  and  is  of  a more  advanced  character  than  our 
English  buildings  of  that  date.  The  window-tra- 
cery is  of  the  flowing  kind  ; the  walls  are  covered 
with  pannelling  and  feathering ; and  their  remark- 
ably small  thickness  (not  more  than  18  inches)  is 
supported  by  rich  and  deep  buttresses  with  crockett- 
ing,  &c.  The  nave  of  York  has  flowing  tracery,  and 
is  said  to  be  after  1320.  Amiens,  which  is  gene- 
rally compared  with  Salisbury,  being  nearly  of  the 
same  date,  is  incontestably  more  advanced  in  style, 
having  window-tracery,  triangular  canopies,  crockets, 
pannelling,  &c.  Indeed  it  is  not  difficult  to  con- 
ceive why  the  English  architects  did  not  adopt,  so 
soon  as  the  Germans  and  French,  all  the  Decorated 
features;  for  we  may  easily  imagine  that  they  would 
abandon  with  regret  the  beautiful  simplicity  and 


32 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


sobriety  of  the  Early  English,  even  for  the  rich  and 
elegant  complexity  of  the  succeeding  style. 

It  will  be  a matter  of  great  interest  to  obtain 
hereafter,  as  it  may  be  hoped  we  shall,  a more  accu- 
rate and  extensive  comparison  of  the  synchronisms 
of  Gothic  architecture  in  different  parts  of  Europe. 
Another  curious  enquiry  which  as  yet  has  not  been 
critically  pursued,  is,  over  what  geographical  extent 
of  countries  the  genuine  Gothic  style  prevailed. 

It  has  no  doubt  been  widely  diffused,  but  pro- 
bably has  not  so  completely  covered  the  face  of 
Europe  as  is  often  imagined.  So  long  indeed  as 
Gothic  was  synonymous  with  barbarous , and  was 
applied  to  all  architecture  which  deviated  from  the 

i 

classical  rule  and  spirit,  it  was  easy  to  find  Gothic 
in  every  European  country,  and  even  in  other  quar- 
ters of  the  globe.  But  if  we  use  the  term  Gothic 
in  a definite  sense,  to  designate  a kind  of  archi- 
tecture which  has  its  principle  of  unity  no  less  than 
the  Classical,  and  of  which  those  only  are  genuine 
features  which  we  find  in  good  examples  constructed 
upon  this  principle,  we  shall  learn  to  restrict  the 
local  extent  of  this  style  within  narrower  limits. 
These  limits  I hope  will  hereafter  be  defined  by 
those  who  give  their  attention  to  this  branch  of  art. 
Going  eastward,  I know  that  the  style  extends  as 
far  as  Magdeburg  in  the  north,  and  Vienna  in  the 
south  of  Germany.  On  the  west,  it  is  said  that 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


S3 


there  are  in  Spain  good  cathedrals  of  Gothic  archi- 
tecture. Those  at  Segovia,  Toledo  and  Burgos  are 
particularly  mentioned;  and  I should  think  it  likely 
that  the  last  of  these  three  for  instance,  is  of  proper 
Gothic  character,  though  hardly  of  the  pure  style  of 
the  best  time,  since  it  was  built  by  German  archi- 
tects, John  of  Cologne  and  his  son  Simon,  after  the 
year  1442.  The  Moorish  architecture  of  Spain,  from 
which  some  writers  have  endeavoured  to  derive  the 
Gothic,  is  certainly  not  Gothic,  and  is  connected 
with  that  style  only  by  slight  and  superficial  resem- 
blances. 

I am  not  so  much  acquainted  with  Italy  as  to 
be  able  to  pronounce  whether  the  true  Gothic  found 
its  way  over  the  Alps.  So  far  as  one  can  judge 
by  barely  passing  to  the  Italian  side  of  that  barrier, 
the  tramontane  architecture  was  never  fairly  esta- 
blished in  the  country.  The  great  cathedrals  of 
the  middle  ages  in  the  Italian  cities,  exhibit  a most 
curious  and  peculiar  Romanesque,  but  this  did  not, 
as  in  the  more  northern  regions,  transform  itself 
into  a new  and  independent  style.  It  is  indeed 
easy  to  imagine  that  the  spirit  of  the  classical  ages 
never  ceased  to  haunt  the  efforts  of  Italian  art : 
and  that  whatever  propensities  did  arise  towards 
a set  of  forms  different  from  the  antique,  were  per- 
petually interrupted  in  their  developement  by  the 
surviving  models  and  maxims  of  the  ancient  times. 
The  tendencies  opposite  to  the  Roman  system,  in- 
4 


34 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


stead  of  being  freely  and  energetically  pursued  till 
the  result  was  another  system,  were  checked  and 
thwarted  as  fast  as  they  appeared ; not  eradicated 
indeed,  but  blighted  in  their  bud.  Before  the 
Italian  artists  had  fully  seized  the  principles  which 
had  been  so  well  followed  out  in  Germany,  these 
principles  were  again  overturned  by  the  revival  of 
classical  architecture  along  with  classical  litera- 
ture*. 

The  cathedral  of  Milan  is  so  celebrated  as  a 
grand  Gothic  edifice  f,  that  I shall  perhaps  be  ex- 
cused, if  I speak  of  this  church  in  particular.  I 
regret  to  have  to  dissent  where  others  admire,  but 
I am  obliged  to  say,  that  Milan  has  no  claim*  to 
be  considered  as  a good  example  of  Gothic  archi- 
tecture. In  order  to  possess  excellence  in  this,  as 
in  any  other  style,  a work  must  have  the  requisite 
parts  clearly  exhibited  and  well-proportioned.  Now 
the  principal  parts  of  the  interior  of  a cathedral  are, 
as  is  explained  in  the  following  Essay,  the  piers, 
the  pier-arches,  the  triforium,  the  clerestory,  and 
the  vaulting.  At  Milan,  scarcely  one  of  these 
members  can  receive  a critical  approbation.  The 
piers  are  of  imposing  bulk  and  height,  but  lose 

* I am  happy  to  be  able  now  to  refer  to  Mr  Willis’s  ad- 
mirable characterization  of  Italian  Gothic.  (Note,  2d  Ed.) 

t Madame  de  Stael,  whose  words  may  be  taken  as  an 
expression  of  the  popular  admiration,  says  in  her  Corinne, 
that  this  edifice  is  the  master-piece  of  Gothic  art  in  Italy,  as 
St  Peter’s  is  of  Roman. 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


35 


much  of  their  due  effect  from  having  no  proper 
capitals  : and  the  group  of  niches  which  crowns  each 
pier,  displacing  the  capital,  ruins  entirely  the  re- 
lation of  these  supports  to  the  rest  of  the  edifice. 
The  pier-arches,  thus  cut  off  from  their  pillars,  and 
thrown  into  obscurity,  hardly  catch  the  eye.  There 
is  not  any  attempt  at  a triforium : and  the  cleres- 
tory also  is  quite  frittered  away  by  being  cut  into 
two  portions  on  each  side.  F or  there  are  five  aisles, 
and  of  these  the  center  one  is  higher  than  the  two 
immediately  adjacent,  and  these  again  than  the 
exterior  aisles,  the  clear  elevation  of  each  higher 
part  being  pierced  by  small  windows.  In  this  way 
a single  clerestory  wall  of  sufficient  elevation  is  re- 
placed by  two  smaller  descents ; and  thus  this  mem- 
ber loses  all  its  characteristic  appearance.  Lastly, 
the  vaulting  is  not  striking  as  an  architectural 
work,  though  very  brilliant  as  to  its  painted  deco- 
ration. If  we  pass  from  the  interior  to  the  exterior, 
we  shall  still  find  a defect  of  consistent  architectural 
principle.  The  west  front,  though  fringed  with 
pinnacles,  is  not  formed  of  decided  Gothic  features : 
the  sloping  lines  of  the  magnificent  flying  buttresses, 
strongly  marked  and  often  repeated,  become  the 
leading  lines  of  the  building,  because  they  are  not 
stopped  and  controlled  by  commanding  masses  of 
vertical  pinnacles  at  their  lower  ends,  as  is  the 
case  at  Cologne,  and  other  genuine  Gothic  churches 
which  possess  such  members.  Finally,  even  the 

4 — 2 


36 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


forest  of  pinnacles  which  crowns  this  gorgeous  edi- 
fice fails  to  give  an  upward  character  to  its  out- 
line : for  each  of  these  pinnacles  is  a well-executed 
statue;  and  though  such  ornaments,  in  subordina- 
tion to  other  upright  masses,  are  quite  consistent 
with  the  Gothic  spirit,  they  are  felt,  in  the  present 
instance,  to  transgress  this  condition  : the  numerical 
strength  of  this  marble  army  makes  it  the  govern- 
ing power;  the  statuary  domineers  over  the  archi- 
tecture; and  we  collect,  out  of  all  this  host  of 
personages  and  attitudes,  no  definite  lines  and  re- 
gular forms,  such  as  alone  can  give  architectural 
effect. 

If  the  reader  will  refer  to  pages  47  and  48, 
where  I have  endeavoured  to  draw  the  contrast  be- 
tween the  characters  of  Romanesque  and  of  Gothic 
architecture,  he  will  see  how  impossible  it  is,  con- 
sistently with  the  principles  there  enunciated,  to 
give  the  name  of  genuine  Gothic  architecture  to 
that  of  Milan;  although  the  passage  was  written 
with  no  reference  to  that  particular  example,  and 
expressed  merely  a general  impression  collected  from 
a comparison  of  many  buildings.  In  Milan,  several 
of  “ the  mouldings,  cornices,  and  capitals”  have 
“ classical  forms*  ;”  in  various  parts,  for  instance  in 

* I speak  of  course  of  the  part  which  aspires  to  the  cha- 
racter of  Gothic  architecture,  according  to  the  statement  in  the 
inscription  on  the  front  itself ; not  of  the  doors  and  windows, 
parts  of  the  former  front  of  Italian  architecture,  which  were 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


37 


the  front,  “ rectangular  surfaces,  pilasters  and  en- 
tablatures” do  not  disappear;  the  enrichments  are 
introduced  “ by  sculpturing  surfaces,”  rather  than 
“ by  repeating  and  multiplying  the  component 
parts,”  and  there  is  not  “ a predominance  of  vertical 
lines  and  members.” 

If  we  would  employ  the  term  barbarous  with 
any  significance,  it  is  not  to  be  applied,  I conceive, 
to  one  style  of  art  merely  because  it  differs  from 
another.  A Gothic  building  is  no  more  barbarous 
than  a Grecian  one,  if  the  ideas  which  govern  its 
forms  be  fully  understood  and  executed;  but  those 
attempts  rather  are  to  be  called  barbarous  which 
imitate  the  features  of  good  models,  and  which,  not 
catching  the  principle  of  the  art,  exhibit  such  parts 
incongruously  combined  and  imperfectly  developed. 
In  writing  Greek,  an  Anglicism  is  a barbarism  : 

spared  “on  account  of  the  elegance  of  the  workmanship,”  and 
remain  encased  in  the  present  fa£ade.  I insert  here  the  in- 
scription to  which  I refer. 

TEMPLI  . FRONTEM 
GRiECO  . OPE  RE  . INCH OA TAM 
GOTHICO 

AD  . MOLIS  . UNIVERSE 
CONSENSUM 

INSTAURANDAM  . PERFICIENDAM 
OSTIORUM  . LUMINUM 
ANTEPAGMENTIS 
OB  . ARTIFICII  . ELEGANTIAM 
INTACTIS 

XX  . VIRI  . jEDIFICATIONI 
PROCURANDA5  . DECREVERUNT 
ANNO  . MDCCLXXXX. 


38 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


but  we  shall  not  now  be  willing  to  allow  English 
to  be  barbarous  because  it  is  not  Greek  ; and  a 
mixture  of  the  two  is  equally  barbarous  whether 
it  pretends  to  be  one  or  the  other. 

When  the  questions  have  been  investigated 
which  concern  the  formation  and  diffusion  of  the 
general  European  Gothic,  there  is  another  enquiry 
which  remains  to  be  pursued  in  order  to  complete 
the  history  of  the  art,  and  which  offers  interest- 
ing comparisons  and  curious  details.  In  the  same 
manner  in  which  different  and  distant  nations  of 
Europe  converged  by  different  paths  to  a sort  of 
central  idea  of  Gothic,  it  appears  that  they  after- 
wards diverged,  and  formed  out  of  this  common 
style  various  degenerate  kinds  of  architecture  dif- 
ferent in  different  countries.  In  all  the  cases,  the 
nature  of  the  change  was,  that  the  ornaments  be- 
come more  profuse  and  universally  applied,  the 
small  parts  more  multiplied  and  more  like  one 
another ; the  large  features  and  portions  less  marked 
and  dominant.  Of  the  derivatives  of  the  Gothic 
which  thus  appeared  after  it  had  lost  something 
of  its  original  purity,  perhaps  the  most  beautiful 
and  the  least  degenerate  is  that  which  we  have  in 
England,  the  Perpendicular  or  Tudor  architecture. 
In  some  cases  indeed,  this  style  possesses  so  much 
boldness  and  breadth  of  parts,  combined  with  its 
fulness  and  richness  of  detail,  as  to  he  scarcely  in- 
ferior to  any  form  of  Gothic  architecture.  The 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


39 


style  of  degraded  Gothic  which  occurs  in  France, 
has  been  distinguished  by  the  term  Burgundian *. 
(See  Quarterly  Review  for  April,  1821,  p.  126.) 
It  has  great  community  of  character,  though  con- 
siderable difference  of  detail  when  compared  with 
our  Tudor  architecture.  It  seems  to  be  marked 
by  a peculiar  form  of  arch,  the  elliptical  or  flat- 
topped,  as  the  Tudor  style  is  characterized  by  the 
four-centered  arch.  In  the  Netherlands  we  have 
another  form  of  the  decline  of  the  Gothic,  which 
we  may  call  the  Belgian  style,  in  the  magnificent 
town-houses  of  Ghent,  Louvain,  &c.,  of  which  the 
architecture,  though  very  celebrated,  has  not,  so 
far  as  I know,  been  critically  examined.  It  ap- 
pears in  like  manner,  that  the  edifices  of  the  period 
corresponding  to  this  in  Germany  have  their  pe- 
culiarities, and  these,  like  the  last,  have  not,  I 
believe,  been  selected  and  brought  together. 

All  these  forms  of  architecture,  and  perhaps 
others  which  are  requisite  to  complete  the  exami- 
nation, would  be  interesting  subjects  of  research. 
They  were  the  medium  through  which  the  art 
became  advantageously  applicable  to  domestic  and 
civil,  as  well  as  to  religious  and  warlike,  purposes. 
With  these  styles,  properly  speaking,  commence 
the  magnificence  of  streets  and  cities,  the  beauty 
and  splendour  of  the  houses  of  the  great. 

* In  a succeeding  part  of  this  volume  it  is  described  under 
the  name  Flamboyant,  which  the  French  antiquaries  have 
given  it.  (Note,  2d  Ed.) 


40 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


Whether  or  not  what  I have  said  may  produce 
conviction  on  speculative  points,  on  subjects  where 
language  is  necessarily  vague  and  demonstration 
impossible,  I hope  that  those  parts  of  the  follow- 
ing work  which  are  descriptive  will  be  found  suf- 
ficiently intelligible  by  those  who  prefer  facts  to 
theories,  that  is,  particular  facts  to  general  ones. 
And  I trust  that  the  classifications  there  employed 
are  only  such  as  may  give  clearness  and  connexion 
to  the  descriptions.  Descriptions  in  detail  with- 
out some  classification  are  scarcely  readable ; and 
it  is  only  by  comparison  of  resemblances  and  dif- 
ferences that  our  observations  become  either  in- 
structive or  interesting.  I have  therefore  attempted 
to  refer  buildings  to  their  places  in  the  order  of 
art,  instead  of  giving  from  my  note  book  a suc- 
cession of  extracts  relating  to  particular  churches. 
The  style  which  I have  more  especially  endeavoured 
to  characterize,  the  Transition  or  Early  German, 
has  not  yet,  so  far  as  I know,  received  much  dis- 
tinct attention.  Dr  Moller,  however,  in  the  course 
of  his  valuable  Denhmaehler , has  recently  given  us 
excellent  representations  of  the  cathedral  at  Lim- 
burg on  the  Lahn,  which  is  a very  admirable  speci- 
men of  this  kind  ; and  has  noticed  the  intermediate 
and  transition  place  which  this  edifice  seems  to  oc- 
cupy in  the  developement  of  the  German  style. 

Though,  in  the  second  chapter  of  the  ensuing 
Essay,  I have  professed  to  describe  only  the  Tran- 
sition style,  it  will  be  found,  I believe,  that  I 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


41 


have  also  mentioned  most  of  the  characters  of  the 
Romanesque,  in  the  way  either  of  contrast  or  pa- 
rallel. Of  the  complete  Gothic  I have  said  less, 
inasmuch  as  my  object  is  not  to  give  a complete 
account  of  church  architecture,  but  to  point  out 
what  is  peculiar  to  the  German  churches,  and  il- 
lustrative of  the  formation  of  the  Gothic  style. 

In  architectural  description  I have  ventured  to 
employ  a few  new  phrases : or  rather,  I have  fixed 
and  limited  the  meaning  of  some  of  the  phrases 
which  I have  used,  with  a view  to  their  being 
employed  steadily  and  precisely  for  the  future.  I 
hope  the  courteous  reader  will  not  consider  this  to 
be  a criminal  assumption  of  philological  power.  It 
is  scarcely  possible  to  describe  new  features  with- 
out thus  much  of  innovation,  or  to  describe  any 
thing  distinctly  without  thus  much  of  technicality. 
Mr  Rickman  has  shown,  that  by  the  careful  use 
of  terms  well  selected  and  previously  defined,  lan- 
guage may  convey  almost  as  exact  and  complete 
an  idea  of  a building  as  can  be  got  from  the 
reality  or  the  pencil : but  in  order  to  do  this  with 
the  greatest  advantage,  our  architectural  vocabu- 
lary should  be  much  extended.  We  may  learn  from 
the  descriptive  sciences,  as  for  instance  Botany,  how 
much  may  be  taught  by  means  of  a copious  and 
scientific  terminology  ; and  architects  are  already  in 
possession  of  a very  numerous  list  of  terms  of  art 
which  refer  to  the  Classical  Orders  ; so  full,  indeed, 


42 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


that  there  could  scarcely  ever  be  much  difficulty 
in  describing  a building  belonging  to  that  style. 
To  establish  a complete  language  for  Gothic  ar- 
chitecture likewise,  is  a proceeding  which  might 
not  be  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  our  eminent  ar- 
chitectural authorities ; but  such  a language  would 
require  to  be  illustrated  by  abundant  drawings  and 
references.  I have  not  pretended  to  invent  or  de- 
fine any  words  except  such  as  I had  occasion  for 
in  my  own  descriptions*. 

Most  persons  who  attend  to  ecclesiastical  archi- 
tecture are  in  the  habit,  more  or  less,  of  making 
memoranda  of  noticeable  churches  which  they  see. 
It  seems  likely  that  this  task  might  be  executed 
more  completely  and  expeditiously,  by  following  a 
fixed  plan  in  the  selection  and  arrangement  of  the 
parts  described.  I should  even  conceive  that  when 
a person  has  to  make  notes  upon  several  churches, 
it  might  be  advantageous  to  prepare  a regular  skele- 
ton-form or  tabular  schedule,  in  which  the  same 
blanks  should  be  filled  up  according  to  the  peculi- 
arities of  each  instance ; and  the  register  thus  form- 

* Among  the  liberties  taken  with  language  for  which  I 
ought  to  apologize,  perhaps  I should  mention  the  employment 
of  the  word  aisle  for  the  central  space  (nave  or  choir),  as  well 
as  for  the  lateral  spaces,  of  a building  separated  by  longitudinal 
rows  of  pillars.  I believe  I am  far  from  being  the  introducer 
of  this  phraseology;  and  though  etymology  is,  I fear,  against 
me  in  the  use  of  this  word,  I can  find  no  other  which  applies 
to  the  three  spaces  of  which  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  speak 
in  common. 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


43 


ed  of  the  members  of  our  churches,  would  probably 
be  more  secure  from  omission  and  more  easy  of  com- 
parison, than  accounts  drawn  up  at  random  : at  any 
rate  this  mode  of  proceeding,  though  it  might  be 
thought  needlessly  formal,  would  make  the  persons 
who  agreed  together  to  use  it,  more  intelligible  to 
one  another.  I have  not  ventured  to  construct  such 
a skeleton  church ; but  I have  recommended  wha't 
appears  to  me  to  be  the  best  order  to  follow  in  dis- 
secting any  proposed  example,  as  may  be  seen  in 
Chap.  III. 

In  taking  notes  of  vaulting,  I found  that  the 
form  of  the  construction  could  often  be  expressed 
both  more  briefly  and  more  clearly  by  means  of  a 
few  lines  of  rude  drawing,  than  by  words ; and  the 
marks  which  I thus  employed  gradually  assumed 
the  character  of  systematic  symbols.  Since  these 
are  few  and  simple,  and,  as  it  appears  to  me, 
easily  understood,  I have  given  them  with  their  ex- 
planation for  the  benefit  of  any  architect  who  may 
be  willing  to  make  a trial  of  such  aid.  Besides 
these  marks,  which  can  hardly  be  called  drawing, 
no  skill  in  drawing  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
architectural  observer,  though  such  skill  may  of 
course  be  very  valuable  when  it  exists.  Some  of 
the  most  desirable  drawings  may  be  made  sufficient- 
ly well  without  the  draftsman’s  eye  and  hand ; for 
example,  profiles  of  mouldings,  which  are  very  im- 
portant elements,  and  should  be  copied ; since  those 


44 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


of  Gothic  work  cannot  be  exactly  conveyed  by  means 
of  any  terms  which  have  yet  obtained  reception 
among  architects. 

In  spite  of  all  that  I have  said  in  commendation 
of  verbal  descriptions  in  architecture,  I am  well 
aware  that  most  of  my  readers  would  prefer  receiv- 
ing information  from  drawings  of  buildings ; and 
for  their  sakes  I regret  that  my  plates  are  so  few 
and  so  humble.  There  exist,  however,  several  valu- 
able publications  with  good  plates  on  the  subject  of 
German  architecture,  and  more  will  probably  appear 
in  a short  time.  Dr  M oiler’s  work  ( Denhmaehler 
der  Deutschen  IZaukunst ) already  contains  excellent 
specimens  of  every  style  of  German  buildings,  and 
offers  additional  interest  and  beauty  in  each  new 
number : Mr  Muller’s  work  on  Oppenheim,  men- 
tioned in  the  following  pages,  is  of  almost  unequalled 
splendour  of  excution:  Dr  Boisseree’s  magnificent 
engravings  of  the  cathedral  at  Cologne  are  already 
known  and  admired  in  this  country.  Besides  these, 
a work  on  the  architecture  of  the  Upper  Rhine  is 
publishing  at  Freyburg  in  the  Brisgau ; and  I be- 
lieve some  others  have  appeared  which  I have  not 
seen.  With  the  spirit  which  now  prevails  among 
Germans  on  such  subjects,  we  may  expect  them  still 
further  to  add  to  this  stock  of  such  representations,  as 
they  certainly  have  still  abundant  materials  for  their 
labours.  If  Dr  Boisseree,  after  the  completion  of 
his  work  on  the  cathedral  of  Cologne,  should  execute 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


45 


his  design  of  giving  to  the  world  the  other  churches 
of  that  city  and  neighbourhood,  it  will  he  an  invalu- 
able contribution  to  these  studies*.  Other  works, 
which  we  may  perhaps  hope  to  see,  are — an  adequate 
description  of  the  very  curious  and  ancient  abbey 
church  at  Laach : — a comparative  account  of  the 
three  great  Romanesque  cathedrals  of  Mentz,  Spires 
and  Worms,  a work  which  would  have  a singular 
interest : — a worthy  description  of  the  very  beautiful 
cathedral  of  Bamberg: — -and  representations  of  the 
many  admirable  and  important  specimens  of  archi- 
tecture which  are  to  be  found  in  the  city  and  neigh- 
bourhood of  Nuremburg.  Such  works  as  these  will 
enable  men  to  speculate  with  profit  and  pleasure  on 
the  history  and  character  of  German  architecture. 
And  when  we  consider  the  great  learning  and  dili- 
gent observation  of  the  German  antiquarians ; their 
pleasure  in  the  beauties  of  art,  and  their  reverence 
for  the  spirit  of  antiquity ; we  may  expect  that  they 
will  ere  long  illustrate  as  it  deserves  this  portion  of 
the  history  of  their  land. 

I cannot  here  part  with  my  reader,  without  apo- 
logizing for  the  incompleteness,  perhaps  the  inaccu- 
racy, of  the  following  Notes.  They  were  the  results 
of  a hasty  tour  of  a very  few  months,  collected  ori- 
ginally without  any  view  to  publication  ; and  are  now 
printed  in  order  that  the  information,  however  tri- 

* This  valuable  work  on  the  Churches  of  the  Rhine  has 
recently  reached  this  country.  (Note,  2d  Ed.) 


46 


ORIGINAL  PREFACE. 


fling,  being  once  collected,  may  not  immediately  be 
lost.  I shall  consider  myself  well  rewarded,  if  they 
assist  any  one  to  observe  more  thoroughly,  or  induce 
him  to  contribute  any  thing  more  complete. 


CHAPTER  I. 


OF  THE  CAUSES  OF  POINTED  ARCHITECTURE. 

Sect.  1.  Of  the  Romanesque  and  Gothic  Styles. 

The  ancient  churches  of  Europe  offer  to  us  two 
styles  of  architecture,  between  which,  when  we  con- 
sider them  in  their  complete  developement,  the 
difference  is  very  strongly  marked. 

During  the  first  thousand  years  of  the  Christian 
period,  religious  edifices  were  built  in  the  former 
of  these  two  styles.  Its  characters  are  a more  or 
less  close  imitation  of  the  features  of  Roman  ar- 
chitecture. The  arches  are  round ; are  supported 
on  pillars  retaining  traces  of  the  classical  propor- 
tions ; the  pilasters,  cornices  and  entablatures  have 
a correspondence  and  similarity  with  those  of 
classical  architecture ; there  is  a prevalence  of  rect- 
angular faces  and  square-edged  projections ; the 
openings  in  walls  are  small,  and  subordinate  to 
the  surfaces  in  which  they  occur;  the  members  of 
the  architecture  are  massive  and  heavy ; very  limit- 
ed in  kind  and  repetition ; the  enrichments  being 
introduced  rather  by  sculpturing  surfaces,  than  by 
multiplying  and  extending  the  component  parts. 


48 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


There  is  in  this  style  a predominance  of  horizon- 
tal lines,  or  at  least  no  predominance  and  prolon- 
gation of  vertical  ones.  For  instance,  the  pillars 
are  not  prolonged  in  corresponding  mouldings  along 
the  arches ; the  walls  have  no  prominent  buttresses, 
and  are  generally  terminated  by  a strong  horizontal 
tablet  or  cornice.  This  style  may  conveniently  be 
designated  by  the  term  Romanesque.  The  ap- 
pellation has  been  proposed  by  Mr  Gunn,  as  im- 
plying a corrupted  imitation  of  the  Roman  archi- 
tecture: and  though  the  etymological  analogy  ac- 
cording to  which  the  word  is  formed,  is  perhaps 
not  one  of  extensive  prevalence,  the  expression 
seems  less  liable  to  objection  than  any  other  which 
has  been  used,  and  has  the  advantage  of  a close 
correspondence  with  the  word  Romane , which  has 
of  late  been  commonly  employed  by  the  French 
antiquarians  to  express  the  same  style.  This  same 
kind  of  architecture,  or  perhaps  particular  modi- 
fications of  it,  have  been  by  various  persons  termed 
Saxon,  Norman,  Lombard,  Byzantine,  &c.  All 
these  names  imply  suppositions  with  regard  to  the 
history  of  this  architecture  which  it  might  be  dif- 
ficult to  substantiate ; and  would,  moreover,  in  most 
cases  not  be  understood  to  describe  the  style 
in  that  generality  which  we  learn  to  attribute  to 
it,  by  finding  it,  with  some  variations  according 
to  time  and  place,  diffused  over  the  whole  face  of 
Europe. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


49 


The  second  style  of  which  we  have  spoken, 
made  its  appearance  in  the  early  centuries  of  the 
second  thousand  years  of  the  Christian  world.  It 
is  characterized  by  the  pointed  arch ; by  pillars 
which  are  extended  so  as  to  lose  all  trace  of  classi- 
cal proportions ; by  shafts  which  are  placed  side  by 
side,  often  with  different  thicknesses,  and  are  va- 
riously clustered  and  combined.  Its  mouldings, 
cornices  and  capitals,  have  no  longer  the  classical 
shapes  and  members ; square  edges,  rectangular 
surfaces,  pilasters,  and  entablatures  disappear;  the 
elements  of  building  become  slender,  detached,  re- 
peated and  multiplied;  they  assume  forms  imply- 
ing flexure  and  ramification.  The  openings  be- 
come the  principal  part  of  the  wall,  and  the  other 
portions  are  subordinate  to  these.  The  universal 
tendency  is  to  the  predominance  and  prolongation 
of  vertical  lines;  for  instance,  in  the  interior,  by 
continuing  the  shafts  in  the  arch-mouldings ; on 
the  exterior,  by  employing  buttresses  of  strong  pro- 
jection, which  shoot  upwards  through  the  line  of 
parapet,  and  terminate  in  pinnacles. 

All  over  Europe  this  style  is  commonly  termed 
Gothic  ; and  though  the  name  has  often  been  ob- 
jected to,  it  seems  to  be  not  only  convenient  from 
being  so  well  understood,  but  also  by  no  means 
inappropriate  with  regard  to  the  associations  which 
it  implies.  That  the  Goths  as  a particular  people 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  establishment  of  the 
5 


50 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


style  in  question,  is  so  generally  notorious,  that 
there  can  be  no  fear  of  any  one  being,  in  that 
respect,  misled  by  the  term.  The  notion  which 
suggested  the  use  of  the  word  was  manifestly  the 
perception,  that  the  style  under  consideration  was 
a complete  deviation  from,  and  contrast  to,  the 
whole  principle  and  spirit  of  Roman  architecture ; 
and  that  this  innovation  and  antithesis  were  con- 
nected with  the  course  which  taste  and  art  took 
among  the  nations  who  overthrew  the  Roman  em- 
pire, and  established  themselves  on  its  ruins.  And 
this  is  so  far  a true  feeling  of  the  origin  and  cha- 
racter of  the  new  architecture,  that  we  may  con- 
sent to  accept  the  word  by  which  it  has  been  thus 
designated,  without  being  disturbed  by  the  reflexion 
that  those  who  first  imposed  this  name,  considered 
it  as  conveying  the  reproach  of  barbarism.  We, 
indeed,  should  take  a very  different  view  from  theirs 
of  the  merit  and  beauty  of  the  new  style.  We 
should  maintain,  that  in  adopting  forms  and  laws 
which  are  the  reverse  of  the  ancient  ones,  it  in- 
troduced new  principles  as  fixed  and  true,  as  full 
of  unity  and  harmony,  as  those  of  the  previous 
system ; that  these  principles  were  applied  with  as 
extensive  a command  of  science  and  skill,  as  great 
a power  of  overcoming  the  difficulties  and  effecting 
the  ends  of  the  art,  as  had  ever  been  attained  by 
Greek  or  Roman  artists ; and  that  they  gave  birth 
to  monuments  as  striking,  of  as  august  and  ele- 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


51 


vated  a character,  as  any  of  which  we  can  trace 
the  existence  in  the  ancient  world.  Our  present 
business  however  is  not  with  the  merits,  but  the 
history,  of  the  art. 

The  question  of  the  causes  of  the  transition 
from  one  of  these  styles  to  the  other  has  been 
much  agitated  during  the  last  half  century.  In 
the  course  of  these  discussions  “the  origin  of  the 
pointed  arch”  has  generally  been  put  forwards  as 
the  most  important  branch  of  the  enquiry;  a na- 
tural result  of  the  common  disposition  to  reduce 
a problem  to  the  most  definite  and  simple  form. 
This  is  however  an  imperfect  statement  of  the  real 
question ; for  the  pointed  arch,  far  from  being  the 
single  novelty  in  that  change  in  architecture  to 
which  reference  is  made,  is  but  one  among  a vast 
number  of  peculiarities  which,  taken  altogether, 
make  up  the  newer  style  : and  this  style  would 
continue  to  exhibit  a contrast  with  the  one  which 
preceded  it,  even  if  the  round  arch  were  used  in- 
stead of  the  pointed  one,  as  in  some  instances  is 
actually  the  case. 

Still,  however,  if  we  could  shew  with  proba- 
bility the  reason  which  produced  the  prevalence  of 
the  pointed  arch,  this  would  be  an  important  step 
in  the  history  of  the  architectural  revolution,  and 
might  throw  much  light  on  other  parts  of  this  his- 
tory. Now  we  can  point  out  a cause,  which  not 
only  might  possibly,  but  which  must  almost  ne- 

5—2  ’ 


52 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


cessarily,  have  given  rise  to  the  general  use  of  such 
arches ; and  it  is  one  object  of  this  Essay  to  il- 
lustrate this  necessity,  and  the  manner  in  which 
it  affected  ecclesiastical  buildings. 

The  cause  to  which  I refer,  is  the  mode  of 
Vaulting  churches;  and  the  instances  in  which 
I have  been  enabled  to  trace  its  operation,  are 
the  churches  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Rhine 
principally,  and  also  in  some  other  parts  of  the 
Continent. 

Sect.  2.  Of  the  Origin  of  pointed  Vaulting. 

The  combination  of  vaults  in  the  roof  of  a 
church  is  not  easy  to  represent  by  figures,  and  hence 
there  is  some  difficulty  in  conveying  an  exact  con- 
ception of  the  contrivances  which  I have  to  de- 
scribe. It  may,  however,  perhaps  be  understood  in 
the  following  manner. 

In  a vaulted  church,  we  have  in  general  one 
vault  which  runs  longitudinally  along  the  church; 
and  the  upper  windows  open  into  the  sides  of  this 
longitudinal  vault  by  shorter  vaulted  spaces,  which, 
running  perpendicularly  to  the  length  of  the  build- 
ing, may  be  called  transverse  vaults.  And  the  in- 
tersection of  longitudinal  and  transverse  vaults  in 
this,  and  similar  situations,  would  naturally  lead 
to  the  introduction  of  pointed  arches. 

To  make  this  evident,  let  us  consider  a single 
compartment  of  the  church,  that  is,  a portion  of 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


53 


the  center  aisle  (nave  or  choir)  consisting  of  one 
arch,  or  one  window  in  length,  and  of  the  breadth 
of  the  center  aisle  for  its  breadth.  If  this  length 
and  breadth  be  equal,  such  a compartment  can  be 
exactly  vaulted  over  by  means  of  semi-circular  vaults 
intersecting  each  other,  and  strengthened  by  semi- 
circular arches,  as  is  represented  in  Fig.  1.  Each 
vault  may  be  built  exactly  as  if  it  were  single ; 
the  two  vaults  will  meet  in  an  edge  or  groin  of 
a regular  elliptical  form,  lying  diagonal-wise  across 
the  compartment,  and  the  lines  running  along  the 
top  of  each  vault  will  be  horizontal  lines.  This 
kind  of  vaulting  was  practised  by  the  Romans,  and 
for  the  sake  of  brevity  I shall  call  it  Roman 
Vaulting. 

But  the  case  will  be  different,  if  we  suppose 
this  equality  of  length  and  breadth  no  longer  to 
subsist : if,  for  instance,  the  breadth  of  the  window- 
space  be  smaller  than  the  breadth  of  the  aisle,  as 
in  Fig.  2.  If,  now,  each  of  these  breadths  be  vault- 
ed over  by  semi-circular  vaults,  as  in  that  figure, 
the  transverse  vault  will  not  reach  to  the  top  of 
the  longitudinal  one,  but  will  cut  it  obliquely  in 
an  irregular  curve  : the  line  running  across  the  top 
from  one  window  to  its  opposite,  will  be  a broken 
line : the  forms  will  be  of  some  complexity  to  cal- 
culate, and  can  only  be  executed  by  great  skill, 
and  with  much  difficulty.  This  kind  of  vaulting 
is  to  be  seen  in  modern  buildings,  for  instance,  in 


54 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


St  Paul’s  in  London,  but  may  be  supposed  not  to 
have  occurred  as  practicable  to  the  architects  of 
the  middle  ages. 

If  in  this  case,  however,  we  suppose  that  the 
narrower  space,  (the  window)  is  covered  with  a 
pointed  arch  of  the  same  height  as  the  semi-circle, 
and  with  a vault  corresponding  to  this  arch,  the 
forms  of  the  vaulting  become  much  easier  both  to 
determine  and  to  execute.  The  lines  running  along 
the  top,  both  of  the  longitudinal  and  of  the  trans- 
verse vaults,  will  again  be  continuous  horizontal 
lines ; and  the  edges  formed  by  the  intersection  of 
the  two  vaults  will  follow  nearly,  but  not  exactly, 
the  diagonals  of  the  compartment.  See  Fig.  3. 

But  if  instead  of  supposing  one  of  the  vaults 
only  to  have  a pointed  arch  for  its  form,  we  sup- 
pose the  longitudinal  and  transverse  arches  to  be 
both  pointed,  and  of  the  same  height  (which  is 
always  possible,  whatever  be  the  disproportion  of 
the  breadths)  the  arrangement  will  become  still 
more  convenient.  This  is  represented  in  Fig.  4. 
All  the  divisions  of  the  roof  will  be  of  similar 
forms,  and  capable  of  being  planned  and  executed 
in  a similar  manner : and  the  edge  or  intersection 
of  the  two  vaults  will  be  more  nearly  than  before 
in  the  direction  of  the  diagonal  of  the  compartment, 
and  will  also  be  nearly  in  the  shape  of  a pointed 
arch,  resembling  the  original  longitudinal  and  trans- 
verse arches. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


55 


If  we  erect,  upon  each  diagonal  of  the  compart- 
ment, a pointed  arch  of  the  same  height  as  the  longi- 
tudinal and  transverse  arches,  the  vault  may,  by  a 
slight  accommodation  of  the  curvatures,  he  made 
exactly  to  fit  this  arch.  This  arch,  when  marked 
by  a projecting  band  of  stone,  is  called  a diagonal 
rib : and  this  form  of  vaulting,  with  transverse  and 
longitudinal  pointed  arches,  and  with  diagonal  ribs, 
is  the  most  simple  and  the  most  prevalent  form 
which  occurs  after  the  completion  of  the  architec- 
tural revolution. 

It  is  not  only  that  the  forms  and  bearings  of  the 
parts  in  this  arrangement  are  more  easy  and  simple 
than  in  any  other  which  suggests  itself,  capable  of 
answering  the  same  ends,  hut  also  its  strength  is 
more  easily  secured,  and  the  mechanical  construction 
of  the  vault  much  facilitated : the  longitudinal, 
transverse,  and  diagonal  ribs  being  probably  first 
erected,  and  then  the  vaulting  parts  added,  without 
the  necessity  of  wooden  centering , covering  the 
whole  compartments. 

This  account  is  not  proposed  here  as  new.  It  is 
the  theory  which  Mr  Saunders  published  in  1811, 
and  which  he  has  very  ably  and  ingeniously  explain- 
ed in  the  17th  volume  of  the  Archceologia* . In  the 
same  volume,  Mr  Ware  appears  to  be  of  a similar 

* I may  venture  to  observe,  however,  that  the  opinion 
which  supposes  Canterbury  to  be  the  first  instance  of  pointed 
vaulting,  appears  to  be  untenable. 


56 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


opinion,  and  the  same  view,  or  at  least  one  nearly 
approaching  to  it,  was  taken  of  the  subject  by 
Mr  Essex,  as  appears  by  Mr  Kerrich’s  statement 
(Archceologia,  Vol.  xvi.  p.  315),  and  seems  to  be 
entertained  with  more  or  less  distinctness  by  several 
continental  antiquaries.  My  object  is  to  illustrate 
the  opinion  somewhat  further,  by  considering  this 
part  of  the  construction  of  a church  in  connexion 
with  other  portions  of  the  edifice : and  also  to  shew 
the  necessity  which  produced  this  change  shews  itself 
in  various  buildings  in  Germany  and  elsewhere. 

It  will  be  observed,  that  this  theory  of  the  origin 
of  pointed  arches  must  be  considered  as  standing 
upon  different  ground  from  other  theories  which 
have  been  proposed,  inasmuch  as  they  only  shew 
how  the  form  of  such  an  arch  may  have  been  sug- 
gested, not  how  the  use  of  it  must  have  become 
universal.  The  hypotheses  which  derive  pointed 
arches  from  the  intersections  of  branches  of  trees — 
or  from  the  pointed  form  of  doorways  made  by  two 
stones  leaning  against  each  other — and  even  the 
very  favourite  opinion  which  supposes  such  arches  to 
have  originated  with  the  intersecting  round-headed 
arcades  of  the  earlier  architecture,  must  be  consider- 
ed as  without  value  on  this  account.  It  is  true, 
that,  in  these  ways  pointed  arches  would  occur  ; and 
so  they  would  in  many  other  ways;  for  instance,  as 
has  been  observed,  in  proving  the  first  Proposition 
of  Euclid.  But  this  possible  construction  of  the 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


57 


pointed  arch  affords  us  no  key  to  its  adoption — does 
not  explain  to  us  why  it  grew  into  use,  rapidly  as  to 
time ; universally , as  to  its  application  in  all  mem- 
bers of  the  building ; and  exclusively  as  to  the  final 
rejection  of  the  round  arch  previously  employed,  and 
of  all  the  other  forms,  many  of  which  would  be  as 
obviously  suggested  as  this  form  of  the  pionted  arch. 
Whereas,  the  theory  which  I am  now  to  develope, 
pretends  not  only  to  shew  how  this  arch  might  be 
invented;  but  that  it,  or  something  like  it,  must 
have  been  wanted,  discovered  and  employed. 

That  the  adoption  of  this  arch  led  to  the  other 
changes  which  combined  to  form  the  Gothic,  is  not 
capable  of  being  proved  with  the  same  cogency;  but 
yet  we  shall,  it  is  hoped,  he  able  to  trace  a natural 
and  almost  necessary  influence  of  this  element  upon 
the  other  parts  of  the  building,  which  seems  to  ex- 
plain better  than  any  other  hypothesis  the  formation 
of  the  new  style. 

It  will  appear,  I think,  from  what  has  already 
been  said,  that  the  vaulting  of  a space  of  which  the 
length  and  breadth  were  different,  could  only  be 
effected  by  abandoning  the  semi-circular  arch.  The 
forms  which  the  vaulting  assumed  when  this  arch 
ceased  to  be  exclusively  employed,  were  various. 
They  were,  moreover,  variously  affected  by  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  other  parts  of  the  building,  and  I 
shall  consider  the  consequence  and  progress  of  this 
combination  of  causes. 


58 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


Sect.  3.  Of  the  Aisled  Form  of  Churches. 

A circumstance  in  the  arrangement  of  Christian 
Churches  which  very  remarkably  influenced  the  sub- 
ordinate parts,  was  their  distribution  into  a center 
aisle  and  two  side  aisles.  Some  may  perhaps  he 
disposed  to  trace  this  construction  to  a remoter 
origin.  Something  resembling  it  is  indeed  found 
in  the  religious  edifices  of  very  distant  times  and 
countries.  The  Egyptian  temples  of  Ybsambul  and 
Hermontis  are  separated  by  two  rows  of  piers  or 
pillars  into  three  alleys.  The  division  of  the  central 
from  the  lateral  spaces  by  longitudinal  rows  of  pillars, 
is  found  also  in  the  Opisthodomos  of  the  Parthenon 
at  Athens,  and  seems  to  have  been  general  in  the 
hypaethral  temples  of  the  ancients,  as  for  instance 
in  that  at  Paestum.  In  this  very  ancient  temple, 
indeed,  we  have  another  remarkable  approximation 
to  the  arrangement  of  a Christian  Church,  for  we 
find  over  each  of  these  inner  rows  another  range  of 
smaller  pillars,  exhibiting  a striking  resemblance  to 
a clerestory. 

Others  may  consider  this  form  of  Christian 
Churches  as  directly  deduced  from  that  of  the  Ho- 
man basilicae,  many  of  which  are  stated  to  have  been 
applied  to  religious  uses  after  the  legal  establishment 
of  Christianity.  These  buildings  consisted  of  two 
parallel  ranges  of  covered  porticos  with  an  inter- 
vening space ; and  when  this  intervening  space  was 
covered  in,  obviously  formed  three  aisles. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


59 


But,  however  this  form  may  have  originated, 
being  once  adopted  as  the  usual  construction  of 
churches,  it  gave  rise  to  many  peculiarities,  and 
determined  most  of  the  component  parts  of  our 
ecclesiastical  architecture. 

The  columns  which  separated  the  three  aisles 
from  each  other  became  the  piers  of  the  church. 
These  columns  almost  universally  supported  arches, 
which  were  generally  used  in  the  vaulting  of  the  side 
aisles,  and  these  are  the  pier  arches  of  all  aisled 
churches. 

The  center  aisle  was  most  frequently  raised  above 
the  side  aisles  by  walls  resting  upon  the  pier  arches. 
The  central  elevated  space  was  then  lighted  by 
windows  pierced  in  this  wall  over  the  side  aisles, 
and  thus  we  have  clerestory  windows . 

The  side  aisles  were  mostly  vaulted  with  stone, 
and  had  over  the  stone  roof  a wooden  one  sloping 
upwards  towards  the  clerestory.  In  this  manner,  a 
space  necessarily  intervenes  between  the  top  of  the 
pier  arches  and  the  bottom  of  the  clerestory  windows. 
This  space,  when  ornamented  in  the  interior  by  a 
range  of  openings  or  pannels,  became  the  triforium . 

These  different  parts  are  seen  in  Fig.  6.,  which  , 
may  be  considered  as  the  general  type  or  pattern  of 
two  compartments  of  an  aisled  church*.  The  parts 
which  have  just  been  mentioned  occupy  in  all  com- 

* The  triforium  is  here  represented  only  by  a blank  space 
in  the  wall. 


60 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


plete  churches  the  positions  in  which  they  are  here 
drawn;  and  the  differences  in  the  form  and  deco- 
ration of  these  parts  characterize  the  different  suc- 
cessive styles. 

But  in  order  to  see  the  whole  effect  of  the  triple 
arrangement,  we  must  consider  the  manner  in  which 
the  building  was  roofed. 


Sect.  4.  Of  the  Kinds  of  Vaulting  employed  in 
Churches. 

Before  we  describe  the  combinations  of  vaults 
which  occur  in  the  roofs  of  churches,  there  are  two 
kinds  of  simple  vaults  which  must  be  mentioned. 

No.  1.  The  cylindrical  vault*,  resting  on  the 
tops  of  the  side  walls  with  its  axis  in  the  longitu- 
dinal direction  of  the  building.  This  is  a very 
common  and  ancient  mode  of  vaulting,  but  is  rarely 
used  to  form  the  roofs  of  churches.  It  does  not 
conveniently  admit  of  clerestory  windows,  and  is  on 
that  account  ill-suited  to  such  edifices.  There  is 

9 

however,  one  part  of  many  very  early  churches  where 
it  is  constantly  found,  namely,  in  the  roof  of  the 
compartment  which  intervenes  between  the  apsisj 

* This  kind  of  ceiling  is  also  occasionally  called  a waggon, 
barrel,  tunnel,  or  cradle  roof. 

t The  semi-circular  or  polygonal  portion  usual  at  the  east 
end  of  the  choir  is  so  called.  The  same  term  is  applied  to  a 
similar  termination  at  the  end  of  the  transept  or  nave. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


61 


of  the  church  and  the  crossing * of  the  transept. 
This  compartment  is  also  generally  different  from 
the  rest  of  the  church  in  other  respects,  and  for  the 
sake  of  compendious  reference  will  he  called  the  in- 
termediate compartment.  It  is  covered  with  a cylin- 
drical vault  at  St  Aposteln,  St  Martin,  St  George, 
and  St  Mary  Capitoline,  all  of  them  churches  exist- 
ing, with  many  others  of  the  most  ancient  and 
curious  construction,  in  the  very  remarkable  city  of 
Cologne. 

The  cylindrical  vault  is  found  on  a very  large 
scale  in  ancient  buildings.  It  occurs  in  many  mo- 
dern churches,  of  which  I may  mention  St  Peter’s 
at  Rome.  It  is  not  very  common  in  England,  but 
is  almost  universal  in  the  churches  of  Cornwall, 
where  each  of  the  three  aisles  is  so  roofed. 

No.  2.  In  the  ancient  churches,  the  semi-cir- 
cular east  end  is  the  general  form,  and  is  covered 
with  a plain  semi-dome : viz.  the  half  of  a hemi- 
sphere, smooth  and  ribless.  This  domical  apsis  is 
usually  somewhat  lower  than  the  end  of  the  choir  to 
which  it  is  attached;  so  as  on  the  outside  to  shew 
the  gable  wall  of  the  choir  above  the  semi-circular 
termination.  This  semi-circular  part  has  also  very 
uniformly  a peculiar  open  gallery,  and  other  constant 
arrangements,  outside ; and  the  interior  construction 

* The  portion  of  the  building  which  is  over  that  space  in 
the  ground  plan  where  the  transept  crosses  the  nave  is  called 
the  crossing. 


62 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


of  the  apse  which  has  just  been  described  is  equally 
constant  in  the  oldest  structures.  Besides  the  Co- 
logne churches  mentioned  in  the  last  paragraph,  all 
of  which  have  this  form,  we  may  adduce  St  Gereon, 
St  Maurice,  St  Cunibert,  St  Pantaleon,  in  the  same 
city ; the  great  cathedrals  of  Mentz,  Spires,  and 
Worms;  the  great  abbies  of  Laach  near  Andernach 
on  the  Rhine,  and  Eberbach  near  Elfeld  in  the 
Rheingau;  and  indeed  almost  all  the  churches  of 
pure  Romanesque  character.  Not  only  the  choir, 
but  the  side  aisles  also  have  frequently  this  termi- 
nation eastward ; and  this  construction  seems  to  be 
the  earliest  form  of  the  church  which  we  commonly 
find.  This  form  is  also  very  generally  diffused,  both 
in  Normandy,  and  in  Germany.  To  this  prevalence 
Cologne,  however,  offers  an  exception.  In  that  city 
four  or  five  of  the  most  ancient  churches,  which  are 
formed  into  a group  by  their  resemblances  of  style, 
have  a plan  in  which,  instead  of  this  triple  eastern 
apsis,  we  have  apses  at  the  ends  of  the  transept, 
similar  to  that  of  the  choir. 

The  combination  of  a center  aisle  with  the  side 
aisles  introduced  various  methods  of  vaulting,  which 
may  he  enumerated  as  follows : 

No.  3.  The  simplest  mode  of  vaulting  three 
aisles  is  to  make  them  all  of  the  same  height  and 
width,  the  width  being  that  of  the  pier  arches ; and 
to  repeat  the  Roman  vaulting  for  each  square  com- 
partment thus  produced. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


63 


This  vaulting,  with  plain  semi-circular  bands, 
and  no  diagonal  ribs,  is  found  in  many  ancient 
buildings  of  small  size,  for  instance,  in  the  Ottmar- 
Capelle  in  the  Burg  at  Nuremberg,  and,  with  some 
modification,  in  the  Margareten-Capelle,  which  is 
underneath  the  former  chapel.  It  may  be  seen  on  a 
magnificent  scale  in  the  superb  cellars  of  the  ancient 
monastery  of  Eberbach  in  the  Rheingau.  In  crypts 
it  is  extremely  common  both  in  Germany  and  in 
England;  and  in  these  cases  is  often  repeated  for 
more  than  three  aisles,  as  at  Canterbury,  where  it 
extends  to  five. 

This  mode  of  roofing  is  occasionally  used  in  all 
the  successive  styles,  the  pointed  arch  being  intro- 
duced instead  of  the  round  one,  and  the  details 
altered  accordingly.  The  Eucharius-Capelle  at  Nu- 
remberg exhibits  it  with  a mixture  of  round  and 
pointed  arches,  belonging  to  the  transition  from  one 
style  to  another.  The  Temple  Church  in  London 
is  a beautiful  instance  of  the  same  arrangement  in 
the  style  of  the  early  English  Gothic.  The  smaller 
of  the  two  churches  in  the  monastery  of  Eberbach 
just  mentioned  has  a similar  disposition,  with  the 
details  of  a still  earlier  pointed  style.  The  mode  of 
vaulting  churches  with  three  aisles  of  equal  height 
was,  however,  most  practised  on  a great  scale  at  a 
considerably  later  period,  when  we  have  very  large 
edifices  of  this  construction,  with  characters  which 
imply  a decline  from  the  best  Gothic  style.  Among 
many  instances,  I may  mention  St  Stephen  at 


64 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


Vienna,  St  Lefrau  at  Oberwesel,  St  Stephen  at 
Mentz,  the  cathedral  at  Frankfort,  St  Martin  at 
Landshut.  The  gigantic  height  of  several  churches 
thus  huilt,  their  openness  and  lightness  in  conse- 
quence of  the  size  and  distribution  of  the  windows, 
are  circumstances  which  often  make  them  impressive 
and  imposing,  in  spite  of  the  defects  of  their  details 
and  execution.  They  are  generally  conspicuous 
externally  by  an  enormous  height  and  breadth  of 
slated  or  tiled  roof,  and  by  the  absence  of  a cleres- 
tory. 

No.  4.  In  most  churches,  however,  the  center 
aisle  is  both  higher  and  wider  than  the  side  aisles, 
and  the  building  then  requires  a different  mode  of 
roofing. 

The  side  aisles,  being  generally  narrow,  did  not 
offer  any  considerable  difficulty  to  the  architect. 
They  were  built  with  a breadth  nearly  equal  to  the 
span  of  the  pier  arches,  and  then  covered  with  equal 
intersecting  semi-circular  vaults  on  each  compart- 
ment, according  to  the  Roman  vaulting  described  in 
Section  2.  They  had  semi-circular  vaulting  bands 
across  the  aisle  between  each  compartment,  and 
generally  had  no  diagonal  ribs.  The  compartments 
of  the  vaults  are  very  frequently  more  or  less  domi- 
cal* in  their  form. 

* That  is,  the  intersection  of  the  diagonal  edges  or  ribs  of 
each  compartment  is  somewhat  higher  than  the  summits  of  the 
transverse  and  longitudinal  arches  by  which  the  compartment 
is  bounded. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


65 


Of  the  ways  of  covering  the  center  aisle,  the 
first  which  I shall  mention,  is  to  place  a flat  wooden 
roof  upon  this  space.  In  this  case,  the  roof  may 
rest  upon  the  level  tops  of  the  clerestory  walls,  and 
we  have  no  occasion  for  any  pillars  at  all  in  that  part 
of  the  edifice.  If,  however,  the  wall  is  faced  with 
pillars  or  pilasters,  these  run  up  to  the  top  of  the 
wall,  and  have  their  capitals  at  the  wall-plate,  so  as 
to  support  the  beams ; whereas,  in  walls  intended 
for  vaulting,  the  capitals  of  the  vaulting  pillars  are 
necessarily  much  lower,  so  as  to  support  the  vaulting 
hands ; in  most  instances  they  are  nearly  at  the 
level  of  the  bottoms  of  the  clerestory  windows. 

In  Fig.  6.  the  capitals  are  considerably  below  the 
top  of  the  wall ; hut  if  the  vault  be  removed,  and  a 
roof  placed  on  the  tops  of  the  walls  (the  wall  which 
is  here  drawn  as  imperfect  being  supposed  to  he  com- 
pleted to  the  same  height  as  the  opposite  one)  the 
capitals  would  naturally  he  carried  to  the  summit  of 
the  wall. 

This  method  of  roofing  large  spaces  seems  in 
England  to  have  been  exclusively  used  during  the 
prevalence  of  Norman  architecture.  1 know  no  in- 
stance of  a large  center  aisle  of  an  Anglo-Norman 
building  which  possesses,  or  was  intended  to  possess,  / 
a stone  roof *;  and  the  above-mentioned  position  of  - 

Jt  jt  s'  - ,4^  V * ^ *>.*<■  J -/  S " 

* It  is  here  asserted,  that  no  building  of  Norman  archi- 
tecture exists  in  England  with  the  center  aisle  covered  by  t 4 A 
original  vaulting.  It  appears  that  there  is  an  exception  to 
6 this 


66 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


the  capitals  clearly  indicates  the  original  design. 
Thus  Peterborough,  the  nave  of  Ely,  St  Peter’s  at 
Northampton,  Steyning,  Romsey,  are  calculated  for 
flat  roofs.  In  the  latter  church,  even  the  nave,  which 
is  executed  in  the  Early  English  style,  has  the  same 
arrangement;  probably  for  the  sake  of  accommo- 
dation to  the  rest.  The  large  buildings  of  Normandy 
of  the  earliest  style  in  that  province,  have  the  same 
disposition ; which  obtains  till  we  come  to  the  two 
great  Abbayes  at  Caen. 

In  Germany,  as  we  shall  shortly  see,  the  art  of 
vaulting  large  spaces  seems  to  have  been  practised 
extensively,  while  in  our  country  it  was  unknown. 
At  the  same  time,  however,  that  this  was  in  use, 
many  churches  were  built  for  flat  roofs.  Thus  the 
abbey-church  of  Limburg  on  the  Haardt,  which  was 
founded  the  same  day  as  the  neighbouring  vaulted 
cathedral  of  Spires,  is  of  the  flat-roofed  kind.  Other 
German  churches  of  the  same  class  which  may  be 


this  rule  in  the  case  of  the  Chapel  of  “the  White  Tower” 
in  the  Tower  of  London.  This  Chapel  has  side  aisles  sepa- 
rated by  massive  Norman  piers,  and  covered  with  Roman 
vaulting;  but  the  center  space  is  vaulted  with  a cylindrical 
stone  vault,  resting  on  the  walls  of  the  triforium;  the  east- 
ern termination  being  coved  so  as  to  accommodate  the  form 
to  the  semi-circular  apsis  of  the  chapel.  The  upper  win- 
dows let  in  the  light  through  the  triforium  arches.  A room 
below  the  Chapel  is  vaulted  in  the  same  manner,  the  spaces 
under  the  side  aisles  being,  in  this  story,  solid  wall. 

This  tower  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  Gundulph,  bishop 
of  Rochester,  in,  or  soon  after,  the  year  1078. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


67 


noticed,  are  Schwarzach  nearRastadt;  the  Schotten- 
Kirche,  the  Obermiinster  Kir  die,  and  the  church  of 
St  Emmeran,  at  Ratisbon;  St  Burckardus  at  Wurz- 
burg; the  church  of  Paulinerzelle  in  Thuringia; 
the  old  church  at  Schaffhausen  in  Switzerland ; the 
churches  at  Ditkirchen  on  the  Lahn ; at  Ems  on 
the  same  river;  the  ancient  church  on  the  Johannis- 
berg ; and,  finally,  St  Pantaleon  and  St  Cecilia  at 
Cologne.  In  Italy  this  construction  is  still  more 
common : the  art  of  vaulting  churches  in  stone  in 
early  times  having  been  in  that  country  far  less 
practised  than  in  Germany,  if  at  all.  Thus,  St 
Zeno  at  Verona  and  most  of  tjhe  old  churches  at 
Rome  have  flat  roofs.  In  many  of  these  Italian 
churches,  the  side  aisles  likewise  are  flat-roofed, 
which  is  the  case  also  at  Paulinerzelle  : but  in  gene- 
ral, both  in  Germany  and  England,  the  side  aisles, 
in  such  cases,  are  vaulted  with  Roman  vaulting. 

All  the  churches  above-mentioned  are  of  the 
most  decidedly  ancient  and  Romanesque  character, 
and  many  of  them  highly  curious.  But  this  mode 
of  covering  churches  was  resumed  in  later  times,  and 
in  England  is  extremely  common  in  that  which 
Mr  Rickman  terms  the  Perpendicular  style ; of 
which  construction  Great  St  Mary’s  at  Cambridge 
is  a good  instance. 

No.  5.  Instead  of  this  wooden  roofing,  it  is 
obvious  that  the  architects  would  be  tempted  to 
extend  to  the  center  aisle  the  same  art  by  which 

6—2 


68 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


the  side  aisles  were  vaulted.  Here  however  several 
difficulties  offered  themselves.  The  center  aisle 
with  its  clerestory  would  have  been  altogether  inad- 
missible without  making  it  wider  than  the  side 
aisles.  If  therefore  it  were  covered  with  Roman 
vaulting,  the  distance  of  its  pillars  must  he  different 
from  that  of  those  in  the  side  aisles,  and  thus  the 
spaces,  without  some  adjustment,  would  not  corre- 
spond. 

The  artifice  which  was  at  first  employed,  and 
which  forms  our  fifth  method  of  roofing,  was  to  make 
the  center  aisle  twice  the  width  of  the  side  aisles, 
and  to  cover  it  with  compartments  of  Roman  vault- 
ing, retaining  the  use  of  semi-circular  arches  in 
both  directions . 

By  this  means  the  pillars  which  supported  the 
vaulting  of  the  center  aisle  coincided  with  the 
alternate  piers,  and  the  pier  arches  were  distin- 
guished into  pairs.  The  roof  of  the  center  aisle 
was  divided  into  squares,  by  transverse  semi-circular 
ribs,  springing  from  the  pillars  which  belonged 
to  the  alternate  piers,  and  these  pillars  had  also 
semi-circular  arches  running  longitudinally  from 
one  to  another  along  the  clerestory  wall.  Each 
compartment  of  the  center  aisle  corresponded 
to  two  compartments  of  the  side  aisles.  See 
Fig.  6. 

This  mode  of  vaulting,  with  semi-circular  arches 
both  ways,  and  with  no  diagonal  ribs,  is  still  found 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


69 


in  several  ancient  churches;  though  it  has  often 
been  replaced  by  more  modern  vaults.  It  is  found 
with  considerable  dimensions,  in  the  churches  of  St 
Maurice  and  St  George,  at  Cologne ; the  ancient 
monastery  churches  of  Laach  near  Andernach  and 
Eberbach  near  Elfield ; and  on  a still  grander  scale 
in  the  gigantic  cathedral  of  Spires,  where  the  span 
of  the  vault  is  about  45  feet ; and  though  the  storms 
of  war  have  so  often  and  so  fiercely  burst  upon  this 
city,  it  is  confidently  asserted  by  the  most  learned 
antiquaries,  that  part  of  the  vaulting  is  of  its  ori- 
ginal form.  In  most  of  these  instances,  and  especi- 
ally at  Spires,  the  compartments  are  considerably 
domical,  the  intersection  of  the  diagonals  being 
higher  than  the  summits  of  the  bounding  arches. 
The  above  instances  of  Roman  vaulting  are,  how- 
ever, far  inferior  in  magnitude  to  those  executed 
by  the  Romans  themselves.  The  great  hall  in  the 
baths  of  Diocletian,  now  the  church  of  S.  Maria 
degli  Angioli,  has  a span  of  67  feet,  and  the  vault- 
ing of  the  Temple  of  Peace  at  Rome  is  said  to  have 
extended  as  far  as  83  feet*. 

This  arrangement  produced  some  peculiarities  in 
the  members  of  the  building  which  deserve  notice. 

a.  The  alternate  distinction  of  the  piers  is 
variously  marked  in  buildings  of  this  class.  The 
principal  piers , or  those  which  possess  vaulting 


* Ware.  Archaeologia,  Vol.  xvn.  p.  47* 


70 


architectural  notes 


pillars*,  being  generally  more  massive  and  impor- 
tant; and  very  often  altogether  different  from  the 
intermediate  piers.  The  observations  which  are  to 
be  made  on  this  subject  apply  to  some  of  the  other 
modes  of  vaulting  hereafter  to  be  described,  and  will 
be  best  illustrated  by  the  notice  of  examples. 

Mentz,  Spires  and  Worms  are  three  colossal 
buildings  belonging  to  the  system  now  under  con- 
sideration. Mentz  has  plain  pilaster  masses f for 
the  intermediate  piers,  while  the  principal  piers  have 
in  front  of  the  pilaster  a vaulting  shaft  rising  from 
the  floor  to  the  vault.  Worms  has  the  same  arrange- 
ment, except  that  the  vaulting  pillar,  instead  of 
being  a simple  shaft,  is  a pilaster  with  a shaft  in 
front  of  it.  Spires,  the  vaulting  of  which  is  the 
greatest  example  of  this  fifth  mode,  has  pilasters 
faced  with  shafts,  in  two  stories,  for  the  principal 
pier,  while  the  intermediate  pier  has  a shaft  which 
runs  from  the  floor  to  the  clerestory  uninterrupted. 

In  several  of  the  ancient  churches  of  Cologne, 
this  alternation  is  differently  marked.  In  St  George, 
the  vaulting  pillars  are  columns  in  front  of  pilaster 
masses,  while  the  intermediate  piers  are  columns  £ 

* The  pillars  which  run  up  to  the  clerestory,  and  support 
the  vaulting  of  the  center  aisle,  are  called  vaulting  pillars . 

t Rectangular  pillars  or  portions  of  wall,  with  impost 
mouldings. 

J I shall  use  the  term  columns  exclusively  for  pillars 
possessing  some  approximation  to  the  effect  of  classical  pro- 
portions; shafts,  for  those  which  are  too  slender  and  long 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


71 


with  cushion  capitals*.  In  this  case,  however,  the 
compartment  of  the  center  aisle  corresponds  not 
to  2,  but  to  2\  of  the  compartments  of  the  side 
aisles.  At  St  Maurice  the  intermediate  piers 
are  low  pilaster  masses,  the  vaulting  pillars  tall 
pilasters.  St  Cunibert,  in  a later  style,  has  the 
same  difference.  At  St  Aposteln  the  intermediate 
piers  have  the  impost  moulding  at  the  sides,  but 
not  in  front ; the  vaulting  pillars  are  half  columns 
from  the  floor.  At  St  Andrew,  the  intermediate 
pier  has  a pilaster  mass  of  some  width,  with 
half  columns  in  the  sides,  supporting  the  pier 
arches. 

In  the  transition  style,  where  the  triforium  is  a 
prominent  feature,  the  vaulting  pillars  alone  run  up 
to  the  clerestory,  the  intermediate  piers  being  low 
masses,  as  at  Andernach,  Sinzig,  Bopart,  and  the 
churches  at  Coblentz. 

As  we  advance  to  later  examples,  these  differ- 
ences become  more  complicated;  consisting  often 

to  have  such  an  effect.  Pillar  is  a comprehensive  term  in- 
cluding all  such  upright  members. 

* The  capitals  which  I have  distinguished  by  this  term  are 
extremely  common  in  Romanesque  work  both  in  England  and 
in  Germany.  They  consist  of  large  cubical  masses  projecting 
considerably  over  the  shaft  of  the  column,  and  rounded  off 
at  the  lower  corners.  Sometimes  they  are  cleft  below,  so  as 
to  approach  in  form  to  two  or  more  such  round-cornered 
masses.  They  may  be  considered  as  rude  imitations  of  the 
very  projecting  ovolo  and  thick  abacus  which  compose  the 
capital  of  the  Grecian  Doric. 


72 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


in  a greater  number  or  different  form  of  shafts  and 
mouldings  in  the  alternate  piers,  as  at  Bamberg, 
and  Limburg  on  the  Lahn. 

This  alternation  of  the  piers  is  seldom  found  in 
England.  It  is,  however,  to  be  seen  at  Canterbury, 
with  that  kind  of  vaulting  which  we  shall  call  sex- 
partite , and  at  Durham,  where  it  occurs  associated 
with  a kind  of  vaulting  shortly  to  be  described,  in 
which  the  cause  of  the  alternation  is  almost  obliter- 
ated. 

b.  The  distribution  of  the  clerestory  windows 
is  also  affected  in  this  style  of  vaulting.  The  ob- 
vious construction  was  to  put  one  such  window  in 
the  archspace  of  each  arched  compartment  of  the 
clerestory  wall.  But  it  was  also  usual  to  have  a 
window  in  each  compartment  of  the  side  aisles.  Ac- 
cording to  this  arrangement,  therefore,  the  cleres- 
tory windows  w’ould  only  be  half  as  numerous  as 
those  of  the  aisle,  and  would  fall  between  the  alter- 
nate pairs  of  the  latter. 

This  is  the  case  in  some  churches  vaulted  in 
the  manner  now  described,  but,  in  general,  the  light 
thus  afforded,  with  the  small  windows  then  in  use, 
was  not  sufficient;  and  attempts  w7ere  made  in 
various  ways  to  remedy  the  inconvenience.  One  of 
the  most  common  was  to  place  two  clerestory  win- 
dows in  each  compartment  of  the  w7all  under  the 
transverse  vault;  and  these  windows  were  necessa- 
rily near  each  other,  in  order  that  they  might  be 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


73 


under  the  middle  and  highest  part  of  each  arch.  In 
this  way,  the  clerestory  windows  are  in  pairs,  and 
though  equal  in  number  to  the  aisle  windows,  do 
not  lie  over  them.  And  the  occurrence  of  the 
vaulting  in  double  compartments  may  be  discerned 
outside,  from  this  arrangement  of  the  clerestory 
windows  at  alternately  greater  and  less  intervals. 
See  Fig.  6. 

The  former  arrangement  of  windows  is  found  at 
Laach,  though  the  vaulting  in  this  case  is  in  single 
compartments.  At  Bamberg  we  have  it  with  al- 
ternate blank  windows  outside  the  clerestory,  for 
the  sake  of  regularity.  The  other  distribution  ob- 
tains very  generally  in  churches  vaulted  according 
to  this  method,  and  to  the  one  next  to  be  described. 
Thus  in  the  cathedrals  at  Mentz,  Spires,  and 
Worms,  the  clerestory  windows  are  in  pairs.  The 
same  is  the  case  in  St  Martin’s  at  the  latter  place  ; 
in  the  abbey  at  Eberbach ; in  the  churches  at  Sin- 
zig  and  at  Andernach  on  the  Rhine,  and  in  St 
Maurice  at  Cologne.  I do  not  know  that  it  occurs 
any  where  in  England,  except  in  the  side  aisles  of 
the  choir  at  Durham. 

No.  6.  We  have  now  to  notice  cases  where  the 
vaulting  is  modified  by  the  introduction  of  the 
pointed  arch.  And,  in  the  first  place,  where  the 
transverse  ribs * only  are  'pointed , the  longitudinal 

* The  arches  which  form  projecting  strips  on  the  surface 
of  the  vaulting  are  called  ribs ; those  which  run  in  the  direc- 
tion 


74 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


ones  being,  as  before,  semi-circular,  and  each  com- 
partment of  the  center  aisle  still  answering  to  two 
in  the  side  aisles.  This  vaulting  is  not,  at  first 
sight,  much  different  from  the  preceding  kind.  It 
varies  however  in  this,  that  the  breadth  of  the  center 
aisle  is  no  longer  necessarily  double  of  that  of  the 
side  aisles ; and  also  in  almost  always  possessing 
diagonal  ribs , which  the  preceding  vaulting  in 
general  has  not.  The  alterations  of  the  other  mem- 
bers of  the  architecture  which  begin  to  make  their 
appearance  along  with  these  and  the  succeeding 
changes  of  vaulting,  must  be  described  afterwards. 
What  was  said  in  the  last  article  of  the  alternation 
of  the  piers,  and  of  the  distribution  of  the  clerestory 
windows,  applies  here  also. 

Mentz  is  the  greatest  example  of  this  kind  of 
vaulting.  St  Paul  at  Worms,  the  church  at  Ander- 
nach,  are  other  instances  : the  cathedral  at  Trent, 
is  also  of  this  class.  In  St  Aposteln  at  Cologne, 
the  transverse  ribs  are  semi-circular,  the  vaulting 
being  of  a kind  hereafter  to  be  mentioned ; but, 
commonly,  when  one  of  the  bands  only  is  pointed, 
it  is  the  transverse  one. 

No.  7.  The  next  step  in  the  order  of  change, 
is  that  where  both  the  longitudinal  and  transverse 
bands  are  pointed.  We  have  here  universal  dia- 

tion  of  the  length  being  called  longitudinal,  and  those  which 
run  across  the  length,  transverse. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


75 


gonal  ribs,  and  this  is  by  far  the  most  common 
vaulting  in  all  churches  belonging  to  times  after 
the  invention  of  the  pointed  vault.  It  is  capable 
of  any  proportion  of  length  and  breadth,  and,  in  its 
later  form,  generally  includes  lengthways  only  one 
compartment  of  aisle.  In  the  early  form  however 
which  we  have  more  particularly  now  to  consider,  it 
often  contains  two  compartments,  and  two  clerestory 
windows,  arranged  as  in  the  two  former  cases. 

Spires,  Mentz,  and  Worms,  the  three  great  Ro- 
manesque cathedrals,  form  a progression  with  regard 
to  vaulting  which  illustrates  the  divisions  now  ex- 
plained ; at  Spires  the  arches  are  circular  both 
ways  ; at  Mentz  the  transverse  one  is  pointed,  the 
longitudinal  being  round;  at  Worms  both  are 
pointed.  The  church  of  St  Martin  at  Worms  is 
vaulted  exactly  as  the  cathedral.  Bamberg  cathe- 
dral is  an  excellent  specimen  of  the  same  kind ; as 
are  the  transepts  at  Gelnhausen  and  Sinzig,  and 
the  nave  at  Bonn.  St  Ambrose  and  Santa  Maria 
delle  Grazie  at  Milan  may  also  be  mentioned. 

When,  quitting  the  transition  style,  we  come  to 
the  completely  formed  Gothic,  we  find  in  all  coun- 
tries where  that  architecture  prevails,  numberless 
instances  of  this  mode  of  vaulting.  The  nave  of 
Salisbury  cathedral  is  a good  simple  example  of  it. 
In  England  the  vaulting  subsequently  became  com- 
plicated  and  varied  with  a much  greater  number  of 
parts  ; but  in  Germany  this  kind  of  plain  pointed 


76 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


vaulting  is  continued  without  any  additional  ribs 
into  the  period  of  the  richest  and  most  complete 
Gothic  work,  for  instance,  at  Freyberg  in  the  Bris- 
gau.  It  may  be  observed,  that  in  German  vaulting, 
the  parts  which  have  been  above  described  have 
seldom  even  the  longitudinal  rib  along  the  top  of 
the  vault  which  is  so  common  in  England. 

No.  8.  Another  kind  of  vaulting  which  seems  to 
be  as  early,  or  very  nearly  so,  as  that  just  described, 
and  which  is  very  frequent  and  characteristic,  is 
what  I shall  call  sexpartite  vaulting . It  will  be 
necessary  to  explain  the  construction  of  this  and  the 
related  classes  of  vaults. 

In  the  kinds  of  vaults  hitherto  described,  we  have 
had  four  hollow  spaces  or  cells  diverging  from  the 
intersection  of  the  diagonal  ribs.  These  cells,  which 
were  round  or  cylindrical  in  the  Roman  vaulting, 
were  pointed  in  the  kind  last  described.  This 
species  of  vaulting  may  be  called  quadripartite. 
If,  now,  we  conceive  a compartment  which  has  two 
pointed  clerestory  windows  on  each  side,  and  suppose, 
from  the  center  of  the  longitudinal  vault  of  this 
compartment,  oblique  pointed  vaults  to  diverge  to 
each  of  the  four  windows,  we  shall  have  the  com- 
partment covered  with  a roof  consisting  of  six  cells, 
which  may  be  called,  therefore,  sexpartite . We 
have  in  this  case  six  ribs  diverging  from  the  inter- 
section ; namely,  the  halves  of  two  diagonals,  and 
of  the  transverse  rib  between  the  pair  of  windows ; 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


77 


besides  which  the  compartment  is  bounded  by  trans- 
verse bands  at  each  end.  See  Fig.  5. 

This  mode  of  vaulting  is  exceedingly  common  in 
early  German  churches,  invariably  accompanied  by 
characters  which  imply  that  the  transition  from 
the  Romanesque  architecture  is  already  in  progress. 
St  Cunibert  at  Cologne  is  a good  instance,  and 
St  Aposteln  was  so,  till  the  vaulting  was  altered 
a few  years  ago.  In  the  latter  instance,  as  has 
already  been  noticed,  the  transverse  arches  are  cir- 
cular, which  is  not  common.  Other  examples  are, 
Limburg  on  the  Lahn,  Sinzig,  St  Sebaldus  at 
Nuremberg,  and  a part  of  Bamberg  cathedral.  This 
species  of  vaulting  is  found  in  England  in  the  choir 
at  Canterbury,  and  though  somewhat  distorted,  in 
the  chapel  of  the  Nine  Altars  at  Durham.  The 
nave  at  Lincoln  has  compartments  of  sexpartite 
vaulting*.  St  Stephen  at  Caen  is  thus  vaulted,  and 
the  contemporary  Abbaye  aux  Dames  is  constructed 
in  the  same  manner,  except  that  each  pair  of  win- 
dows is  covered,  not  by  two  arches,  but  by  two  half- 
arches, separated  by  a vertical  wall. 

No.  9.  In  the  same  way  in  which  we  speak  of 
quadripartite  and  sexpartite  vaulting,  we  may  also 
speak  of  octopartite  vaulting,  when  we  have  eight 
cells  diverging  from  a common  point.  This  is  a 

* The  choir  of  Lincoln  has  a most  peculiar  combination  of 
vaults,  which,  to  correspond  with  the  nomenclature  in  the  text, 
might  perhaps  be  called  alternately  semiquad  ripartite. 


78 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


mode  very  commonly  employed  in  vaulting  the  towers 
which  occur  at  the  crossing  of  the  transept.  It  may 
be  employed  either  on  a square  base , each  side  of 
the  square  being  divided  into  two  halves : or  on  an 
octagon  base.  The  square  made  by  the  transept’s 
crossing  the  nave  is  often  converted  into  an  octagon 
by  arches  thrown  over  the  corners,  and  then  the 
latter  kind  of  octopartite  vaulting  is  employed : 
for  instance  at  St  Aposteln ; in  the  cathedrals  at 
Mentz,  (the  western  tower),  Worms  and  Spires  ; in 
the  churches  at  Gelnhausen,  Limburg,  Sinzig ; and 
many  others. 

St  George  de  Bocherville  in  Normandy  has  a 
tower  with  octopartite  vaulting  on  a square  base  : so 
also  Lincoln. 

It  is  very  usual  to  vault  the  ends  of  the  transept 
with  a roof,  of  which  the  compartment  towards  the 
nave  belongs  to  the  quadripartite,  and  the  other 
three  quarters  to  the  octopartite  form ; this  occurs  at 
Seligenstadt. 

No.  10.  The  vaulting  of  the  polygonal  east 
apse  is  most  commonly  half  (or  rather  f)  of  an  oc- 
topartite compartment.  In  this  case  the  cells  are 
often  very  acute,  as  at  Gelnhausen,  Bamberg,  Lim- 
burg, Mentz,  Worms,  &c.  sometimes  having  win- 
dows in  the  escutcheon-shaped  end  of  the  cell. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


79 


Sect.  5.  On  the  Nomenclature  of  Fan-tracery 
Roofs , or  Concavo-convex  Vaulting. 

The  nomenclature  by  which  I have  above  pro- 
posed to  designate  the  kinds  of  vaults,  applies  only 
to  the  simpler  kinds  of  vaulting,  which  class  is  what 
I have  principally  to  describe ; it  contains  no  pro- 
vision for  the  representation  of  those  more  complex 
roofs,  which  at  a later  period  became  so  frequent  in 
this  country.  These  roofs  are  commonly  called  roofs 
of  “fan-tracery,”  and  are  described  by  Mr  Ware,  in 
his  Observations  on  Vaults,  as  “ribbed  vaults  by  ribs 
of  the  same  curvature.”  It  may,  perhaps,  he  allow- 
able here  to  mention  the  manner  in  which  I would 
propose  to  describe  these,  so  as  to  keep  in  view  their 
connexion  with  those  enumerated  in  the  present 
work. 

Between  two  successive  transverse  cells  in  a 
groined  vault,  the  roof  on  each  side  of  the  building 
consists  of  a mass  in  the  form  of  an  inverted  curvi- 
linear pyramid  or  conoid,  which  occupies  the  span- 
drels both  of  the  transverse  and  of  the  longitudinal 
vaults,  its  point  being  at  the  capital  of  the  vaulting 
shaft.  This  space  I will  call  the  spandrel-conoid : 
and  I shall  employ  this  term,  whether  its  form  be 
horizontally  circular  or  not.  In  common  quadri- 
partite vaulting,  this  spandrel-conoid  will  have  its 
horizontal  section  a rectangle  at  all  heights  from 
the  point.  Its  concave  surfaces  are  the  same  as  the 


80 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


surfaces  of  the  longitudinal  and  transverse  cells ; the 
transverse  ribs  run  along  its  surface,  and  the  diagonal 
ribs  along  its  edges. 

The  vaulting  becomes  complex,  when  the  surface 
of  the  spandrel-conoid  is  subdivided  by  additional 
ribs  or  veins*  diverging  from  the  top  of  the  vaulting 
pillar.  In  this  case  the  faces  between  these  veins  are 
often  inclined  to  each  other : the  spandrel-conoid 
becomes  a pyramid  of  many  sides  with  a curvilinear 
slope,  and  its  horizontal  sections  become  polygons ; 
and,  by  a change  of  the  same  kind,  the  surfaces  be- 
come curvilinear,  and  the  sections  become  circles. 

In  these  kinds  of  vaulting  the  portions  of  the 
roof  are  concave  to  a person  looking  vertically  up- 
wards from  the  interior,  and  convex  to  a person 
looking  horizontally.  I would  therefore  call  them 
both  concavo-convex  vaulting.  The  chapels  of  King’s 
College  at  Cambridge,  and  of  Henry  the  VXIth  at 
Westminster,  are  instances  of  circular  concavo-con- 
vex vaulting.  The  vaulting  of  the  Lady-chapel  at 
Wells  is  octagonal  concavo-convex. 

In  both  kinds,  the  ribs  or  veins  which  run  along 
the  surface  of  the  conoids  and  diverge  from  the  top 
of  the  vaulting  pillar  may  he  called  the  diverging 
veins.  These  diverging  veins,  especially  in  circular 
concavo-convex  vaulting,  are  crossed  at  various  dis- 
tances from  their  origin  by  horizontal  lines  or  circu- 

* The  French  have  a convenient  and  expressive  term  for 
these  lines,  “nervures.” 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


81 


lar  bands,  which  may  be  referred  to  the  point  of 
divergence  as  their  center ; and  these  I will  call  the 
concentric  hands . The  spaces  in  the  roof  bounded 
by  the  diverging  veins  and  the  concentric  hands,  are 
the  pannels  of  the  vaulting. 

The  detail  of  the  vaulting  will  depend  upon  the 
number  and  position  of  the  diverging  veins.  In  con- 
cavo-convex vaulting  these  may  he  described  by  sta- 
ting how  many  pannels  there  are  on  each  side  of  the 
transverse  rib , with  other  peculiarities  of  decoration. 
In  polygonal  concavo-convex  vaulting,  we  often  have 
also  shorter  ribs  or  veins  tying  together  various 
points  of  the  larger  ones,  (with  ornaments  or  bosses 
at  the  junctions)  and  these  accessory  ribs  are  in  some 
instances  multiplied,  so  that  the  roof  may  be  des- 
cribed as  covered  with  reticulating  ribs. 

In  all  the  concavo-convex  roofs  there  occur 
between  the  bases  of  the  spandrel-conoids  certain 
spaces  along  the  ridge  of  the  main  or  longitudinal 
vault,  which  from  their  form  I would  call  the  ridge - 
Imenges.  These  often  contain  ornamental  bosses, 
&c. 

According  to  this  nomenclature,  the  roof  of  the 
Chapel  of  King’s  College,  Cambridge,  would  be  thus 
described.  It  has  circular  concavo-convex  vaulting, 
with  diverging  veins,  crossed  by  four  concentric 
bands.  The  bands  are  ornamented  with  coronet 
points.  The  transverse  ribs  are  large  and  promi- 
nent. The  concentric  spaces  on  each  side  the  trans- 
7 


82  ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 

verse  rib  are  divided  into  twelve  pannels  (except  the 
space  contiguous  to  the  top  of  the  vaulting  pillar, 
which  has  only  six)  and  these  pannels  have  cinque- 
foiled  heads.  The  ridge-lozenges  are  feathered,  and 
have  large  bosses,  a rose  and  a portcullis  alternately. 

The  singularly  complex  and  artificial  roof  of 
Henry  the  Seventh’s  chapel  at  Westminster  consists 
of  circular  conoids ; the  two  lateral  semi-conoids  of 
each  transverse  section  are  (or  appear  to  he)  sup- 
ported by  the  vaulting  shafts ; while  the  two  inter- 
mediate conoids  as  well  as  that  which  occupies  the 
ridge-lozenge,  have  no  visible  support,  and  appear 
as  pendents . The  roof  is  covered  by  an  exquisite 
net-work  of  the  veins  and  pannels  which  diverge 
from  the  points  of  these  conoids.  The  real  support 
of  the  roof  are  the  transverse  ribs  which  proceed 
from  the  intermediate  pendent  conoids  to  the  wall, 
and  are  connected  with  the  roof  by  a web  of  open 
tracery. 

Sect.  6.  Order  of  Succession  of  the  Kinds  of 
Vaulting. 

All  the  kinds  of  vaults  enumerated  in  Sect.  4. 
are  found  abundantly  exemplified  in  the  ancient 
churches  of  Germany;  and  there  cannot  be  much 
doubt  as  to  the  order  in  which  they  began  to  be 
employed.  This  order  may  be  inferred  from  two 
circumstances  : the  construction  of  the  vaults  them- 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


83 


selves,  and  the  accompanying  details  of  the  archi- 
tecture ; and  the  two  determinations  agree  in  a 
remarkable  manner.  And  though  much  difficulty 
and  uncertainty  attends  the  historical  investigation 
of  the  dates  of  the  parts  of  buildings  from  external 
evidence,  it  appears  that  the  testimony  of  historical 
writers,  as  far  as  we  have  it,  is  quite  consistent  with 
the  inferred  succession  of  inventions.  It  is  to  be 
observed,  however,  that  though  we  may  with  toler- 
able certainty  collect  from  internal  evidence  the 
order  of  these  modes  of  vaulting,  we  cannot  in 
this  way  determine  any  thing  precise  with  regard 
to  the  date  of  each. 

The  oldest  forms  of  vaulting  which  remain  to 
us,  are  the  two  first  enumerated  ; Nos  1 and  2 ; the 
cylindrical  for  the  choir,  and  the  domical  for  the 
apsidal  end.  This  is  the  vaulting  of  St  Mary 
Capitoline  at  Cologne,  a building  which  is  asserted 
to  be  certainly  of  the  eighth  century ; and  of  no  less 
than  five  or  six  other  churches  of  great  antiquity  in 
the  same  city.  The  cylindrical  vault  possesses  no 
clerestory  windows ; and  it  is  unfortunate  that  no 
nave  remains  of  the  date  of  the  above  buildings, 
to  shew  us  how  the  earliest  builders  arranged  that 
part  of  the  edifice. 

The  oldest  complete  church -vaulting,  therefore, 
is  No.  5,  the  Roman  vaulting  of  the  center  aisle, 
and  this  is  employed  in  Germany  at  a period  when 
the  Normans  and  English  did  not  vault  large  spaces, 

7—2 


84 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


but  covered  them  in  the  way  described  as  No.  4. 
I shall  not  attempt  to  draw  any  inference  from  this 
difference : but  it  may  be  noticed,  that  one  advan- 
tage which  the  Colognese  possessed  for  the  con- 
struction of  vaults,  was  the  extremely  light  and 
durable  volcanic  tuf  which  occurs  in  their  neighbour- 
hood, and  of  which  the  surfaces  of  their  vaults  are 
composed  : the  ribs  both  in  this  and  in  the  preceding 
styles  of  vaulting  being  of  harder  stone. 

The  three  great  Romanesque  cathedrals  of  the 
Upper  Rhine  offer,  as  has  been  said,  a graduated 
progression  of  the  earliest  forms  of  cross  vaulting, 
Nos.  5,  6 and  7 ; and  it  is  scarcely  possible,  on  con- 
sidering the  details  and  connexion  of  their  members, 
to  believe  these  vaults  to  be  any  other  than  original. 
These  cathedrals,  as  to  their  earliest  parts,  were  all 
built  about  the  year  1000,  or  soon  after  ; and  a great 
number  of  other  churches  offering  the  same  forms  of 
vaulting  claim  the  same  date. 

The  sexpartite  vaulting,  No.  8,  succeeded,  along 
with  No.  7,  to  the  earlier  forms;  it  is,  however, 
never  found  without  the  indications  of  a later  style 
than  the  one  just  mentioned.  Quadripartite  vault- 
ing with  one  window  in  each  compartment,  is,  in 
the  same  manner,  manifestly  later  than  vaulting 
like  that  of  Worms  ; where,  though  both  arches  are 
pointed,  the  clerestory  windows  are  still  in  pairs. 

I have  said  that,  associated  with  the  kinds  of 
vaulting  last  explained,  we  find  innovations  in  the 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


85 


other  elements  of  the  architecture.  What  these 
alterations  are,  and  how  they  seem  to  have  been 
produced  by  the  previous  introduction  of  the  point- 
ed arch,  we  must  now  endeavour  to  explain. 

Sect.  7-  Influence  of  the  Pointed  Arch  on  other 
Parts  of  the  Architecture. 

The  following  is  proposed  as  a theory  of  the 
way  in  which  the  use  of  the  pointed  arch  led  to  the 
general  principle  of  Gothic  architecture,  and  thus, 
in  the  course  of  time,  altered  and  transformed  all 
the  subordinate  parts. 

The  leading  and  predominant  lines  of  Grecian 
and  Roman  architecture  are  horizontal,  and  this 
principle  continues  to  have  a considerable  sway  in 
the  Romanesque  style. 

One  result  of  the  operation  of  this  principle  is, 
that  the  arched  lines  in  this  style  are  looked  upon 
as  having  an  analogy  with  the  horizontal  members. 
The  tablets  which  follow  the  arch  are  considered  as 
a kind  of  entablature  ; they  are  called  the  arch- 
itrave of  the  arch  ; they  consist  of  the  fascias  and 
mouldings  of  the  horizontal  architrave ; the  arch  is 
horizontal  at  its  summit,  and  the  face  of  the  wall  is 
considered  as  the  frieze  of  its  architrave.  The 
vaulting  ribs  of  Romanesque  buildings  are  flat  and 
square-edged  like  the  horizontal  elements. 

But  as  soon  as  ever  the  pointed  arch  makes  its 
appearance,  this  aspect  begins  to  change.  The  dia- 


86 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


gonal  ribs  of  pointed  vaults  are  never  flat  and 
square-edged  like  the  vaulting  ribs  of  the  Roman- 
esque. Rolls , or  bent  cylinders,  constitute  these 
lines.  At  the  same  time  the  transverse  ribs  them- 
selves begin  to  have  their  square  edges  formed  into 
beads  or  smaller  rolls ; in  a short  time  the  flat  part 
vanishes  and  the  square  rib  becomes  a roll.  It  then 
becomes  a cluster  of  rolls,  then  a cluster  of  mould- 
ings ; and  when  the  change  is  advanced  so  far,  parts 
of  the  cluster  may  separate  and  ramify,  and  assume 
any  of  the  endless  forms  of  Gothic  architecture. 

Now  this  change  seems  to  be  clearly  connected 
with  the  adoption  of  the  pointed  arch.  When  that 
step  is  once  made,  the  attribution  of  a horizontal 
character  to  the  arch  line  necessarily  ceases.  It  has 
no  longer  a horizontal  summit,  or  an  uninterrupted 
path  from  one  point  to  another  in  the  same  hori- 
zontal line.  Its  form  manifestly  indicates  an  up- 
ward direction.  It  thus  loses  its  correspondence 
with  any  part  of  the  entablature,  and  we  are  natu- 
rally led  to  refer  the  arch  line  to  the  supporting 
pillar ; to  consider  it  as  a continuation  of  that 
member,  and  to  give  it  that  cylindrical  form  which 
implies  such  an  origin. 

This  tendency  being  once  admitted,  the  rest  of 
the  change  proceeds  by  a still  more  obvious  con- 
nexion. The  pillars  being  thus  conducted  beyond 
the  capital,  we  lose  all  perception  of  a limitation  of 
them  in  the  direction  of  their  length  ; they  may  be 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


87 


prolonged  in  extent  and  diminished  in  thickness  as 
much  as  we  clmse  ; their  capitals  must  no  longer  be 
square,  so  as  to  stop  them  by  a marked  rectangular 
interruption  : the  common  tendency  of  two  shafts  to 
prolong  themselves  indefinitely  upwards,  makes  it 
natural  to  place  them  in  contact ; to  form  them  into 
clusters ; to  combine  them  into  groups,  and  to  take 
up  again  in  the  arch  mouldings  the  members  of  such 
groups.  And  after  this  has  been  done,  the  formation 
of  those  flexible  and  upward-tending  lines,  into  the 
tracery  of  roofs,  and  all  the  varied  forms  of  the  rich- 
est Gothic  work,  proceeds  by  a gradation  which  it  is 
agreeable  to  trace,  but  unnecessary  to  detail. 

But  while  this  change  of  character  takes  place 
in  the  frame-work  of  a Gothic  building,  a similar 
progression  may  be  considered  as  going  on  in  the 
openings.  When  the  clerestory  windows  have  be- 
come pointed,  they  share  the  tendency  of  the  rest 
of  the  edifice  towards  upright  prolongation.  To 
construct  buildings  in  which  this  tendency  operates, 
the  architects  adopted  the  excellent  mechanical  con- 
trivance of  strongly  projecting  buttresses.  These 
were  further  improved  into  flying  buttresses  ; and 
furnished  with  these  admirable  implements,  the 
architects  of  the  complete  Gothic  style  seem  to  have 
delighted  in  lifting  to  an  immense  height  in  the 
air  the  most  gigantic  and  magnificent  clerestories, 
enclosed  by  enormous  areas  of  transparent  wall.  In 
this  way  are  constructed  and  suspended  the  magical 


88 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


structures  of  Amiens,  Strasburg,  Freyberg,  Cologne, 
and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  latter,  the  exquisite 
abbeychurch  of  Altenburg.  Sometimes,  indeed,  the 
architect  “magnis  excidit  ausis” — attempted  more 
than  he  could  execute ; as  in  the  instance  of  Beau- 
vais, splendid  even  in  its  failure  ; where  the  unex- 
ampled height  and  boldness  of  the  clerestory  were 
imposed  on  a lower  story,  which  was  found  too  weak 
for  its  task,  and  was  subsequently  relieved  by  inter- 
polating a new  pier  in  each  interval  of  the  old  ones. 

Such  was  the  completion  of  the  architectural  re- 
volution. The  peculiarities  of  the  German  churches 
offer  to  us  a confirmation  of  this  account  of  its  rise 
and  progress ; and  at  the  same  time  seem  to  shew 
that  the  direct  operation  of  the  causes  of  the  new 
architecture  is  to  be  sought  rather  in  Germany  than 
in  our  own  country. 

For  it  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  in  the  churches 
of  the  Rhine,  the  pointed  arch  makes  its  appearance 
in  the  vaulting  before  it  affects  any  other  part,  and 
is  used  to  roof  buildings  in  which  all  the  other 
arches  and  openings  are  round:  whereas  in  Eng- 
land, the  struggle  between  the  round  and  pointed 
styles  seems  to  be  carried  on  in  all  parts  of  the 
architecture  at  once,  giving  rise  to  most  curious 
mixtures  and  combinations,  and  seeming  to  be  the 
result  of  caprice  and  indecision  rather  than  of  any 
general  cause. 

It  would  be  too  much  to  say  that  we  can  trace 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


89 


the  effect  of  the  causes  above  indicated  in  all  the 
novelties  of  detail  which  occur  in  the  passage  from 
the  Romanesque  style.  Many,  however,  of  these 
innovations  are  easily  referred  to  the  general  spirit 
of  the  change  now  described ; and  it  is  conceived 
that  the  succeeding  Chapter,  which  contains  the 
characters  of  the  transition  style,  will  further  illus- 
trate the  formation  of  the  complete  Gothic. 


CHAPTER  II. 


OF  THE  CHARACTERS  OF  TRANSITION  OR  EARLY 
GERMAN  ARCHITECTURE. 

Sect.  1.  Difference  of  the  Early  English  and  Early 
German  Styles. 

The  observations  just  made  apply  only  to  the 
instances  where  the  change  of  architecture  is  com- 
pleted ; and  in  these,  the  style  of  the  German 
buildings  resembles  very  exactly  what  Mr  Rickman 
has  called  the  Decorated  English  Style.  But  there 
is  a large  class  of  buildings  in  Germany  constructed 
during  the  period  which  elapsed  while  this  change 
was  still  in  progress ; and  these  buildings  exhibit 
features  somewhat  different  from  any  of  those  styles 
which  we  find  in  England.  The  architecture  which 
in  England  immediately  succeeded  the  Romanesque 
or  Norman,  has  been  called  the  Early  English 
style ; and  though  it  may  be  doubtful  whether  the 
first  steps  which  carried  architects  beyond  the  Ro- 
manesque were  made  in  England,  it  seems  to  be 
certain  that  the  Early  English  style,  as  it  exists  at 
Salisbury,  for  instance,  was  not  developed  in  the 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES,  &C. 


91 


same  manner  in  Germany,  and  is  not,  in  its  most 
characteristic  shape  to  be  found  in  that  country*. 

* The  difference  between  the  styles  in  England  and  Ger- 
many which  have  the  nearest  correspondence,  is  by  no  means 
confined  to  the  transition  style.  The  Romanesque  of  Germany, 
which  German  writers  often  call  Byzantine,  varies  in  several 
respects  from  the  Romanesque  of  England,  which  we  have 
been  habituated  to  term  Norman.  Thus  we  never  find  in  the 
German  churches  the  ponderous  cylindrical  piers  which  we 
have  at  Durham,  Malmesbury,  Steyning,  &c. : we  have  not 
there  the  piers  carved  and  channeled  as  is  so  frequent  with 
us ; (a  few  exceptions,  such  as  the  crypt  of  St  Gereon,  hardly 
disturb  this  rule.)  The  German  buildings  have  not  the  deep 
rich  succession  of  mouldings  to  which  we  are  accustomed  in 
the  door  and  pier  arches;  the  latter,  especially,  are  in  Ger- 
many universally  quite  plain.  The  Romanesque  of  that 
country  does  not  exhibit  the  extraordinary  multiplicity  and 
fantastical  variety  of  mouldings  and  ornaments  which  so  dis- 
tinguishes our  Norman — the  beak-head,  the  embattled  fret,  &c. 
are  hardly  or  not  at  all  known.  The  zig-zag  and  the  triple- 
billet, however,  are  used  very  prodigally  in  certain  parts  of 
German  churches.  The  complete  Gothic,  of  Cologne  cathedral 
and  Oppenheim  for  instance,  coincides  very  nearly  with  our 
best  Gothic  of  the  14th  century;  the  Decorated  style  of  Mr 
Rickman,  with  geometrical  tracery.  The  German  buildings  are 
generally  purer  and  plainer  in  their  details  than  ours,  and  the 
absence  of  dripstones  is  a remarkable  difference.  The  tall 
clerestory  and  polygonal  east  end  form  very  characteristic 
parts  of  the  appearance  of  German  buildings  of  this  class. 

The  complete  Gothic  which  is  thus  attained  alike  in 
England  and  Germany,  is  found  with  the  same  features  in 
France,  as  in  St  Ouen  at  Rouen. 

After  this  general  coincidence,  the  styles  of  different 
European  nations  seem  again  to  diverge;  the  beautiful  Per- 
pendicular or  Tudor  architecture  which  was  so  much  culti- 
vated with  us,  being  quite  different  from  the  contemporaneous 
or  corresponding  styles  of  France,  Germany,  and  the  Nether- 
lands; and  these  again  apparently  being  different  from  each 


92 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


That  the  English  and  the  German  architects 
beginning  from  the  same  point — the  Romanesque, 
and  arriving  at  the  same  result — the  Decorated  or 
Complete  Gothic,  should  have  gone  by  different 
roads,  and  made  the  transition  each  through  a sepa- 
rate style,  is  a curious  circumstance,  and  worthy  of 
illustration.  As  the  intermediate  style  in  England 
has  been  called  Early  English,  I shall  call  the  in- 
termediate style  in  Germany  the  Early  Germain 
and  the  following  pages  will  be  employed  in  an 
endeavour  to  characterize  it ; which,  so  far  as  I 
know,  has  not  yet  been  attempted.  I shall,  for  this 
purpose,  point  out  its  differences  from  the  preceding 
or  Romanesque  style,  for  the  differences  between  it 
and  the  complete  Gothic  are  more  obvious.  The 
general  character  of  the  style  is  rather  Romanesque 
than  Gothic,  though  it  has  pointed  arches  and 
various  other  Gothic  elements.  The  general  cha- 
racter of  the  Early  English  on  the  other  hand  is 
decidedly  Gothic  ; and,  indeed,  it  cannot  be  con- 
sidered otherwise  than  as  a fully  developed  Gothic 
style. 

To  a person  who  has  made  himself  acquainted 
with  the  Early  English  style,  the  differences  which 
the  Early  German  presents  are  very  obvious.  They 
have  in  common  their  slender  shafts,  clustered  and 

other.  And  in  these  different  paths  the  different  countries 
seem  to  have  gone  on  till  the  introduction  of  Italian  or  the 
revival  of  Classical  architecture. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


banded,  their  pointed  arches,  and  their  mode  of 
vaulting ; but  we  do  not  commonly  find,  in  the  in- 
terior of  the  transition  churches  of  Germany,  the 
circular  cluster  of  shafts, — the  arches  moulded  into 
a broad  and  deep  mass  of  small  rolls  with  deep  hol- 
lows between, — the  circular  abacus  with  its  rounded 
upper  edge, — the  single  lancet-headed  windows,  tall 
and  narrow, — and  the  peculiar  line  of  open  flowers 
which  is  used  so  profusely  in  all  Early  English 
work.  Nor  do  we  observe,  on  the  outside,  the 
dripstone  to  the  window, — the  moulded  or  shafted 
window-sides*, — the  projecting  buttress  with  its 
chamfered  edge  and  triangular  head,— the  pyra- 
midal pinnacles, — of  our  early  cathedrals.  What 
the  elements  are,  which  we  have  in  this  style  in 
Germany,  will  appear  by  the  following  description  ; 
and  for  the  purpose  of  exhibiting  the  characters  of 
Early  German  churches,  I shall  consider  their  parts 
in  the  following  order : the  Plan  ; the  General  out- 
line ; the  Vaulting  ; the  parts  of  the  Interior;  and 
of  the  Exterior. 

* The  edge  of  the  window  opening  when  sloped  or  broken 
into  mouldings,  cannot,  in  Gothic  work,  be  properly  called 
the  architrave.  It  is  frequently  necessary  to  mention  it,  and 
I have  for  this  purpose  used  the  term  window-side  in  a fixed 
technical  sense. 


94 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


Sect.  2.  Characteristic  Details  of  Transition  or 
Early  German  Architecture. 

I.  The  Plan. 

The  Plan  of  the  church  in  the  Early  German, 
as  in  the  Romanesque  style,  consists  principally  of 
three  aisles,  of  which  the  center  one  constitutes  the 
nave  and  choir,  and  has  a polygonal  or  semi-circular 
apse  at  its  east  end.  In  considerable  buildings  we 
have  also  generally  a transept,  and  various  other 
chapels  for  altars,  besides  the  eastern  altar.  A dif- 
ference observable  in  these  points  is,  that  in  the 
older  style  the  apse  is  generally  semi-circular,  in 
the  transition  style  it  is  polygonal.  In  the  old 
churches  the  eastern  sides  of  the  north  and  south 
transepts  were  formed  in  like  manner  into  semi- 
circular apses  (as  in  the  old  church  on  the  Johan - 
nisberg,  in  the  ruined  church  of  St  Peter  at  Geln- 
hausen,  and  in  the  abbey  church  at  Laach).  And 
though  in  the  succeeding  style  also  it  is  common  to 
have  chapels  on  the  east  of  the  transept,  these  have 
seldom  a simple  semi-circular  form  ; but  have  some- 
times an  additional  recess,  as  at  Gelnhausen  and 
Sinzig;  or  some  other  form,  as  at  Limburg;  or 
disappear  along  with  the  transept,  as  at  Bamberg, 
Andernach,  and  Boppart. 

We  have  already  had  occasion  to  mention 
another  arrangement  very  common  in  the  early 
churches,  and  especially  in  those  of  Cologne,  viz., 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


95 


that  in  which  each  end  of  the  transept  is  formed  as 
an  apse  (for  instance,  St  Mary  Captoline,  St  Apos- 
teln,  St  Martin,  &c.)  And  this  also  is  occasionally 
imitated  in  the  transition  style,  still  substituting  a 
polygonal  for  a semi-circular  end,  as  at  Bonn,  and 
at  Marpurg,  if  the  latter  be  not  too  late  to  be  here 
introduced.  It  is  remarkable,  that  we  find  in  many 
churches  a round  apse  in  one  part,  and  polygonal 
ones  in  other  parts.  Thus  at  Bonn  the  end  of  the 
choir  is  circular,  of  the  transepts  angular.  Here 
also  may  he  mentioned  instances  such  as  those  of 
Mentz,  Worms,  and  Bamberg,  where  we  have  an 
apse  at  each  end,  round  at  the  east,  and  angular  at 
the  west : the  latter  being  in  all  these  cases,  as  well 
as  in  the  western  apse  of  St  Sebaldus  at  Nuremberg, 
of  the  style  now  described. 

In  such  cases  of  an  eastern  and  western  apse,  we 
have  also  generally  a western  as  well  as  an  eastern 
transept,  as  at  Mentz : and  this  second  transept  is 
found  in  several  other  churches,  mostly  Roman- 
esque ones ; as  St  Aposteln,  St  Andrew,  St  Panta- 
leon  at  Cologne ; St  Paul  at  W orms ; the  Schot- 
ten-kirche  at  Nuremberg.  St  Cunibert  at  Cologne 
has  likewise  a western  transept. 

The  towers  in  many  of  the  churches  of  the 
earliest  style  are  near  the  east  end.  In  the  transi- 
tion style  it  is  very  common  to  have  towers  both  at 
the  east  and  west,  as  at  Bamberg,  Andernach,  Bonn, 
Arnstein,  Limburg.  The  latter,  indeed,  according 


96 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


to  the  plan,  would  have  had  two  towers  at  the  west 
end  of  the  nave,  and  two  smaller  ones  at  each  end 
of  the  transept,  besides  the  central  octagonal  tower 
which  it  has  in  common  with  Gelnhausen,  Seligen- 
stadt,  Sinzig,  Heimersheim,  and  Bonn. 

II.  The  General  Outline. 

The  general  outline  of  the  church  must  depend 
principally  upon  its  towers.  If  we  suppose  the  great 
cathedrals  of  Mentz,  Spires,  and  Worms,  to  be  ex- 
ecuted according  to  the  original  plan,  which  seems 
to  be  preserved  to  us  in  the  form  of  the  church  of 
Laach,  it  would  appear  that  the  complete  type  of 
a large  church  consisted  of  four  towers,  (the  two 
pairs  having  different  forms  and  magnitudes,)  and 
of  two  cupolas  or  pyramids.  We  have  probably  one 
of  the  best  external  elevations  of  such  cupolas  in 
the  graceful  octagonal  pyramid  of  St  Aposteln.  In 
this  manner  the  outline  of  a single  cathedral  would 
present  a group  of  edifices,  clustered  and  varied  like 
the  view  of  a fine  city.  We  see  a specimen  of  the 
effect  of  such  a group  at  Laach,  just  mentioned; 
where  the  deserted  abbey  church,  standing  with  its 
six  towers  on  the  banks  of  the  remarkable  lake  of 
that  name,  is  a highly  picturesque  object*.  Mentz 
has  a striking  appearance,  but  is  somewhat  spoiled 
by  the  inappropriate  restorations  which  it  has  un- 
* A sketch  of  this  church  is  given  in  Plate  3. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


97 


dergone.  Worms  is  another  instance  of  a group  of 
towers.  This  complexity  of  outline  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  imitated  by  the  architects  of  the  Tran- 
sition style;  and  in  their  buildings  we  have  either 
two  pairs  of  towers,  as  at  Andernach,  Bamberg,  and 
Arnstein ; or  a center  spire  with  a pair  of  towers ; 
either  eastern  towers  as  at  Gelnhausen,  and  we  may 
add  St  Cunibert  at  Cologne ; or  more  generally 
western  towers,  as  at  Limburg,  Bonn,  Sinzig,  Hei- 
mersheim,  Seligenstadt,  though  the  two  first  have 
smaller  turrets  besides.  Boppart  has  two,  and  Ba- 
charach  one  western  tower  only — at  least  remaining. 
The  subordination  of  the  lateral  to  the  central  towers 
in  the  group,  where  that  combination  is  found,  and 
the  perspective  configurations  of  the  two  pairs,  in 
churches  with  four  towers,  produce  a very  pleasing 
effect  in  these  buildings  when  perfect. 

The  towers  of  the  Early  German  style,  as  well 
as  of  the  Romanesque,  have  generally  their  sides 
terminated  by  pediments.  It  appears  to  be  gene- 
rally true,  that  in  the  earlier  style  these  pediments 
have  the  angle  at  the  summit  nearly  a right  angle, 
and  the  horizontal,  as  well  as  the  inclined  cornices, 
strongly  marked.  In  the  later  towers  the  pediment 
is  more  acute,  and  the  cornice  lighter.  Sometimes, 
as  at  St  Martin  and  St  Cunibert,  the  tops  of  the 
towers  are  horizontal. 


8 


98 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


III.  The  Vaulting. 

The  kinds  of  vaulting  used  in  the  churches  of 
Germany  have  already  been  described  in  Chapter  i, 
and  we  have  noticed  the  order  in  which  they  suc- 
ceeded each  other.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  remind 
the  reader,  that  the  cylindrical  intermediate  com- 
partments (No.  1.),  and  domical  east  end  (No.  2.), 
belong  to  the  oldest  Romanesque  buildings — that 
the  Roman  vaulting  (No.  3.),  is  used  for  crypts  and 
for  side  aisles — that  in  the  oldest  Romanesque  build- 
ings, we  have,  over  the  center  aisle,  either  flat  roofs 
(No.  4.),  or  large  Roman  vaulting  (No.  5.);  that 
in  the  progress  of  art  this  vaulting  becomes  pointed, 
either  in  the  transverse  direction  (No.  6.),  or  in  both 
directions  (No.  7.),  the  compartments  being  still 
double  those  of  the  side  aisles,  and  the  rest  of  the 
members  continuing  to  be  of  a Romanesque  cha- 
racter. 

These  latter  species  of  vaulting  are  used  also 
when  the  transition  in  the  other  members  is  already 
very  manifest,  as  at  Andernach,  Bamberg,  &c.  The 
sexpartite  vaulting  (No.  8.),  and  the  vaulting  (No.  7). 
with  single  compartments,  belong  more  decidedly, 
however,  to  the  transition  style.  At  St  Cunibert 
at  Cologne  a great  part  of  the  work  much  resembles 
the  Romanesque  churches  in  the  same  city;  the 
plain  round  pier  arches  rest  on  pilaster  masses,  the 
east  end  is  a semi-dome,  &c.  But  the  vaulting  is 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


99 


sexpartite,  with  cells  slightly  pointed;  and  accord- 
ingly we  find  other  innovations:  viz.  the  quadri- 
partite vaulting  of  the  side  aisles  has  diagonal  rihs ; 
the  vaulting  pilasters  have  slender  shafts  at  their 
sides;  the  shafts  between  the  upper  windows  in 
the  apse  are  three-clustered;  the  aisle  windows  are 
many-foiled  semicircles  ; and  the  clerestory  windows 
much  larger  than  in  the  pure  Romanesque  buildings. 
And  in  the  same  manner  we  may  trace  in  other 
churches  a variation  of  the  subordinate  elements 
accompanying  the  newer  kinds  of  vaulting.  We 
may  particularly  observe  the  flat  and  square-edged 
vaulting-ribs  of  the  pure  Romanesque,  first  acquir- 
ing roll  edges,  and  finally  becoming  curved  mould- 
ings, as  has  already  been  noticed  in  Sect.  6.  of 
Chap.  i. 

The  round  east  end  so  generally  characteristic 
of  Romanesque  churches,  where  we  have  a domical 
apse  lower  than  the  choir,  is,  in  the  transition  style, 
exchanged  for  a polygonal  form  ; and  is  vaulted 
with  diverging  cells,  and  raised  to  the  same  height 
as  the  roof  of  the  choir,  (vaulting,  No.  10.).  It  is 
remarkable,  that  in  the  cathedrals  at  Mentz,  Worms, 
and  Bamberg,  the  eastern  apse  is  domical  and  rib- 
less, while  the  western  one  has  octopartite  vaulting 
with  pointed  cells.  The  west  end  of  St  Sebaldus  at 
Nuremberg  is  vaulted  in  the  latter  way;  as  are  the 
east  ends  of  Gelnhausen,  Limburg  on  the  Lahn, 
Seligenstadt,  Sinzig,  and  the  transept  ends  of 

8 — L2 


/ 


100  AHC  HIT  EC  T U UAL  NOTES 

Bonn.  This  vaulting  of  the  apse  is  also  retained 
in  the  complete  Gothic  style,  and  has  certainly 
great  beauty. 

The  octopartite  vaulting  is  also  often  used  in 
the  transition  style  to  cover  the  crossing  of  the 
transept ; or  the  octagonal  tower  which  rises  from 
it,  as  at  Seligenstadt,  Gelnhausen,  Limburg,  the 
western  parts  of  Mentz  and  Worms,  &c. 

Sometimes,  however,  we  have  in  such  a situation 
a dome  with  octopartite  ribs,  as  at  Sinzig,  and  at 
Heimersheim,  about  a league  further  up  the  Ahr. 
This  vaulting  occurs  also  in  the  choir  at  Seligen- 
stadt. We  have  the  octopartite  vaulting  with  a 
quadripartite  cell  next  the  crossing,  in  the  transepts 
of  the  latter  church,  also  in  the  transepts  of  Lim- 
burg and  of  St  Cunibert,  and  the  organ  loft  of 
Bacharach.  The  nave  of  Boppart  is  peculiar,  its 
vaulting  being  a succession  of  domes  on  square  bases, 
which  have  sixteen-partite  ribs ; but  here  perhaps, 
the  walls  were  originally  built  for  a flat  roof. 

The  octopartite  vaulting  is  used,  as  has  been 
said,  to  cover  an  octagonal  tower ; and  in  the  cases 
where  such  a feature  exists,  it  is  proper  to  notice 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  set  on  upon  the  square, 
(generally  the  crossing  of  the  transept,)  which  is 
its  basis.  A mode  of  making  the  junction  which 
appears  to  belong  to  the  earliest  style  (though  not 
exclusively)  is  seen  in  St  Aposteln  at  Cologne : 
the  sides  of  the  octagonal  tower  which  correspond 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


101 


to  the  angles  of  the  square  basis,  and  consequently 
project  over  them  within,  are  connected  with  these 
angles  by  a portion  of  a concave  ribless  surface  or 
concha , such  that  the  main  longitudinal  and  trans- 
verse arches  which  support  the  tower,  and  the  upper 
boundary  of  this  concha,  form  a sort  of  spherical 
triangle.  The  eastern  cupolas  of  Mentz,  Worms 
and  Spires,  the  center  towers  of  Seligenstadt  and 
Gelnhausen,  are  constructed  in  the  same  manner. 

But  in  the  Early  German  churches  there  is 
another  mode  of  supporting  these  octagonal  towers, 
which  seems  to  belong  more  peculiarly  to  the  tran- 
sition style,  of  which  the  western  cupolas  of  Mentz, 
Worms,  and  the  tower  of  Limburg  are  examples. 
In  these  cases  the  concha  above-mentioned  is  hol- 
lowed, so  that  its  upper  boundary  forms  an  arch 
in  the  side  of  the  octagonal  tower.  These  arches 
have  well-marked  mouldings;  and  along  with  them 
we  have  corresponding  arches  in  the  other  sides  of 
the  octagon,  shafts  in  its  angles,  and  other  decora- 
tions which  did  not  appear  in  the  former  method 
of  erecting  such  towers. 

IV.  Interior. 

I will  next  consider  the  separate  members  of 
the  interior , taking  them  in  this  order  : the  piers 
and  pier  arches;  the  triforium;  the  clerestory;  the 
side  walls  and  windows;  and  the  peculiarities  which 
occur  in  the  choir  and  transept. 


102 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


1.  Piers  and  Pier  Arches. 

The  principal , or  vaulting  piers  in  the  Ro- 
manesque style  were  often  engaged  columns,  as 
at  Laach,  St  Mary  Capitoline,  St  Gere  on,  and 
St  Aposteln  at  Cologne;  and  as  they  are  found 
in  the  aisles  of  a great  number  of  churches,  for 
instance,  St  Andrew,  St  Pantaleon,  St  Maurice  at 
Cologne,  the  church  at  Ems,  and  many  others.  In 
other  instances,  the  vaulting  pillars  were  pilasters, 
springing  from  the  ground,  as  in  St  George  and 
St  Maurice;  or  from  the  impost,  as  in  St  Ursula, 
and  in  the  desecrated  church  of  Eberbach,  &c. 

If  we  examine  large  Romanesque  buildings,  at 
Spires  we  find  one  column  upon  another,  the  upper 
capitals  being  of  a very  classical  model.  At  Mentz 
the  tall  shaft  is  used  alone.  At  Worms  the  pillar 
is  too  tall  to  be  called  a column,  and  has  pilaster 
edges  on  each  side.  These  three  colossal  cathe- 
drals are  remarkable  for  the  simplicity  of  their 
parts . 

When  we  approach  the  Early  German  style,  we 
seldom  find  columns  and  pilasters  approaching  to 
classical  proportions,  in  the  situation  now  spoken 
of.  and  the  alterations,  though  gradual,  are  very 
various. 

We  have  pilasters  with  shafts  at  the  sides,  at 
Sinzig,  Bonn,  and  St  Cunibert;  advancing  still 
by  a repetition  of  these  parts,  we  have  often  an  as- 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES* 


103 


semblage  of  engaged  shafts  and  pier  edges*,  as  at 
Limburg,  Seligenstadt,  Andernach,  Bamberg;  and 
sometimes  triple  shafts  alone,  as  at  Bacharach.  In 
many  instances,  where  the  vaulting  of  this  style  has 
been  added  to  an  earlier  building,  we  have  vaulting 
shafts,  clustered  or  single,  springing  from  a corbel, 
or,  more  generally,  from  an  end  hoohed  into  the 
wall  above  the  impost.  This  occurs  at  St  Mary 
Capitoline,  and  St  Martin,  in  the  nave,  and  is, 
indeed,  very  common. 

Between  the  principal  piers  occur  the  inter- 
mediate piers , and  these  either  send  up  no  vault- 
ing shafts  at  all,  as  in  the  three  great  cathedrals 
just  mentioned,  and  in  quadripartite  vaulting  on  a 
smaller  scale,  for  instance,  St  Andrew  at  Cologne : 
or  in  sexpartite  vaulting  they  supply  vaulting 
shafts  smaller  and  less  important  than  the  principal 
piers,  as  in  St  Cunibert,  St  Aposteln,  Limburg  and 
Bacharach,  where  these  intermediate  vaulting  shafts 
spring  from  the  triforium  tablet f . These  interme- 
diate piers  in  large  Romanesque  buildings  are  tall 
pilaster-formed  masses  with  imposts;  as  at  Mentz, 
Spires  and  Worms,  where  they  are  on  a gigantic 
scale.  In  other  early  churches  we  have  piers  of 

* I use  this  expression  to  describe  a pier  very  common 
both  in  England,  France  and  Germany,  consisting  of  a number 
of  shafts  set  in  square  recesses,  according  to  Mr  Rickman’s 
phraseology.  A plan  of  such  a pier  is  given  in  Plate  4. 

t The  running  tablet  or  cornice  below  the  triforium. 


104 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


the  same  kind ; for  instance,  at  Eberbach ; also  at 
St  Martin,  St  Maurice,  the  nave  of  St  Mary  Ca- 
pitoline,  and  St  Aposteln  at  Cologne.  And  this 
occurs  in  many  churches  which  seem  not  to  have 
been  intended  for  vaulting,  as,  for  instance,  Lim- 
burg on  the  Haardt,  Schwarzach  near  Rastadt  in 
part,  the  old  church  at  Schaffhausen  in  part,  the 
Obermunster  Kirche  at  Ratisbon.  We  find,  how- 
ever, in  such  early  churches,  and,  perhaps,  as  a form 
more  prevalent  in  the  earliest  times,  the  arches  sup- 
ported by  columns,  of  proportions  nearly  classical,  and 
sometimes  with  a classical  diminution  of  diameter 
upwards.  These  columns  have  very  frequently  a 
cushion  capital.  Such  columns  occur  in  the  apses 
of  St  Mary  Capitoline,  St  Peter’s  at  Gelnhausen, 
in  the  curious  old  church  of  St  George  at  Cologne, 
in  the  churches  at  Schwarzach,  Schaffhausen,  and 
the  Schotten-kirche  at  Ratisbon. 

In  other  instances  we  find  in  the  intermediate 
piers  the  columns  engaged  in  the  sides  of  a square 
pillar.  In  these  cases  they  have  more  commonly, 
so  far  as  I have  observed,  capitals  resembling  the 
Corinthian,  and  these  often  very  well  executed,  as, 
for  instance,  St  Andrew  at  Cologne,  St  Castor  at 
Coblentz. 

In  such  cases,  the  introduction  of  a thick  roll- 
formed  transverse  vaulting-rib  instead  of  a flat  one 
seems  to  belong  to  a very  early  stage  of  the  progress 
of  the  art.  See  St  Cecilia,  St  Pantaleon  and  Ems. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


105 


When  we  advance  from  these  Romanesque 
churches  to  the  Early  German  ones,  we  find  the 
intermediate  piers  in  some  respects  changed.  In 
a great  number  of  churches  the  secondary  pier  be- 
comes much  lower  and  broader  than  before,  a change 
which  seems  to  be  connected  with  the  peculiarity 
of  the  triforium  which  we  shall  shortly  have  to 
mention.  Thus  at  Sinzig,  Andernach,  Boppart, 
Bacharach ; in  Notre  Dame  and  St  Florian  at  Cob- 
lentz ; and  at  Limburg  on  the  Lahn,  we  have  such 
low  piers.  At  Bamberg,  Gelnhausen,  and  Seligen- 
stadt,  they  are  not  so  low.  In  the  cases  where  the 
pier  arches  are  not  in  pairs,  all  the  piers  have  of 
course  vaulting  pillars,  as  at  Bonn. 

The  pier  arches  are  sometimes  round  and  some- 
times pointed,  without  any  apparent  rule  as  to  order 
of  time : they  retain  the  former  figure  in  instances 
where  the  pointed  arch  is  copiously  introduced  in 
other  parts,  and  the  style  considerably  developed, 
as,  for  example,  at  Bonn.  The  round  arch  is  found 
in  this  situation  at  Bonn,  and  at  Andernach ; at 
Notre  Dame,  St  Florian,  and  St  John  at  Coblentz ; 
at  Sinzig,  Andernach,  Boppart,  Bacharach, — on  the 
Rhine ; and  at  Arnstein  on  the  Lahn.  The  pointed 
pier  arch  occurs  at  Bamberg,  Limburg,  Seligenstadt, 
Gelnhausen,  and  Heimersheim. 

The  arch  is  often  merely  a square-edged  opening 
with  no  mouldings  whatever.  Sometimes  it  has  a 
rebated  edge,  and  sometimes  a roll,  but  very  seldom 
any  further  ornament. 


106 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


2.  Tr  if  or  him. 

I speak  next  of  the  Triforium ; and  here  I 
observe,  that  this  member  does  not  seem  to  have 
entered  into  the  idea  of  the  original  Romanesque 
architects.  The  space  over  the  pier  arches  and 
under  the  clerestory  windows  which  the  slope  of 
the  roof  of  the  aisles  occasioned,  is  left  a blank, 
often  with  a rather  awkward  effect,  in  the  finest 
early  buildings.  Thus,  at  Laach  and  Eberbach, 
we  have  not  even  a moulding  to  occupy  it.  At 
St  George,  St  Ursula,  St  Gereon  (choir)  and  St 
Maurice,  the  case  is  the  same.  In  the  three  great 
Romanesque  cathedrals,  we  have  a horizontal  mould- 
ing and  some  pannel  edges,  but  no  important  fea- 
ture. This  horizontal  moulding  occurs  also  at  St 
Andrew,  where  it  is  enriched  with  excellent  foliage ; 
at  St  Cecilia,  and  in  many  other  Romanesque  build- 
ings. 

In  England,  in  our  Norman  buildings,  and  al- 
most constantly  in  the  later  ones,  this  space  in  large 
churches  is  filled  by  a row  of  openings  or  pannel- 
ings,  of  various  kinds.  It  is  mostly,  however,  a 
merely  ornamental  member,  and  I do  not  know  that 
it  was  ever  applied  to  any  customary  use. 

But  in  the  Early  German  churches  the  case  is 
different.  In  almost  all  that  decidedly  belong  to 
this  class,  we  have,  instead  of  the  blank  wall  of  the 
former  style,  a large  open  gallery  forming  a second 
story  to  the  side  aisle.  And  in  most  of  these  in- 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


107 


stances,  or  at  least  in  the  churches  on  the  Rhine 
above  Bonn,  this  gallery  is  still  appropriated  to  a 
particular  part  of  the  congregation,  namely,  the 
young  men,  and  is  generally  called  the  Manner- 
chor , or  as  I was  told  at  Sinzig,  the  Mannhaus . 
This  gallery  naturally  makes  it  convenient  to  have 
the  pier  arches  somewhat  low,  which  it  has  been 
already  observed  is  the  case.  The  openings  of  this 
gallery,  which  of  course  stand  immediately  over  the 
pier  arches,  are  variously  arranged.  Often  there  is 
a large  plain  semicircular  arch,  which  however  has 
frequently  shafts  at  the  sides  when  the  pier  below 
is  plain.  In  Notre  Dame  at  Coblentz,  in  Heimer- 
sheim  and  Bacharach,  and  in  Ditkirchen  on  the 
Lahn,  this  is  the  case,  though  the  latter  has  the 
appearance  of  being  a Romanesque  building  with 
these  openings  cut  afterwards.  But  the  more  gene- 
ral arrangement  is  to  have  this  round-headed  open- 
ing subdivided  into  two  or  three  subordinate  open- 
ings separated  by  shafts  which  are  often  in  pairs. 
This  is  the  form  which  obtains  at  Sinzig,  Boppart, 
Andernach  and  Limburg  on  the  Lahn. 

At  Bamberg  this  Mannerchor  is  wanting,  per- 
haps because  the  usage  on  which  it  depended  was 
local.  It  is  remarkable  that  none  of  the  churches 
at  Cologne  possess  such  a gallery  (except  St  Mary 
Lyskirchen,  where  it  is  not  so  appropriated,  and  is 
apparently  later  than  the  building.)  There  are  in 
that  city  several  instances  of  ornamented  triforiums. 


108  ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 

St  Aposteln,  which  seems  to  stand  on  the  boundary 
line  between  the  Romanesque  and  Early  German 
style,  has  a series  of  round-arched  pannels  on  shafts *. 
St  Cunibert,  which  is  a decided  example  of  the  lat- 
ter style,  has  a similar  row  of  pannels.  Bonn,  at 
the  border  of  the  district  occupied  by  the  churches 
where  the  Mannerchor  is  general,  and  which  belongs 
to  the  same  period,  has  a row  of  pointed  pannels  on 
shafts,  but  no  gallery.  St  Sebaldus  at  Nuremberg 
resembles  Bonn.  Limburg,  in  another  part  of  the 
country,  has  an  open  gallery,  and  likewise  a row  of 
pointed  pannels  above.  Arnstein,  also  situated  on 
the  Lahn,  and  resembling  Limburg  in  its  form,  has 
a blank  wall  in  the  triforium. 

In  the  construction  where  we  have  the  Manner- 
chor, there  are  of  course  two  roofs  to  the  side  aisles, 
and  they  are  generally  both  of  the  earliest  or  Roman 
kind  of  vaulting  with  no  diagonal  ribs.  There  is 
one  remarkable  exception  at  Sinzig,  where  the  vault- 
ing of  the  Mannhaus  is  of  a kind,  which,  from  its 
ribs,  might  be  called  tripartite,  and  which  has  two 
cells  in  the  outer  wall  corresponding  to  one  pi£r 
arch.  As  the  lower  vaulting  of  the  aisle  is  the 
plain  quadripartite,  two  windows  of  the  Manner- 
chor correspond  to  one  of  the  windows  of  the  aisle, 
and  stand  in  quincuncial  positions  to  them.  In 

* That  is,  the  shafts  support  the  arches  and  separate  the 
pannels. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


109 


other  cases  there  are  two  rows  of  windows  in  the 
aisle  which  correspond  to  each  other  in  a regular 
manner. 

3.  Clerestory . 

Next,  as  to  the  Clerestory:  The  small  round- 
headed  window  is  almost  universal  in  early  build- 
ings, and  continues  with  little  alteration,  except 
perhaps  an  increase  of  size,  after  the  vaulting  and 
other  parts  have  become  pointed.  But  the  dis- 
position of  these  windows  is  often  remarkable.  In 
Romanesque  buildings  two  small  windows  near  one 
another  are  placed  in  the  head  of  each  semicircular 
compartment,  and  thus  the  clerestory  windows  no 
longer  answer  to  those  below,  even  when  the  number 
is  the  same.  This  collocation  must  be  considered 
as  belonging  to  a very  early  style,  inasmuch  as  it 
depends  upon  the  supposed  necessity  of  using  a 
semicircular  arch.  It  is  found  in  the  monastery 
of  Ebrach;  in  the  three  great  cathedrals  of  this 
style  (less  marked,  however,  at  Worms  and  Spires) 
and  in  the  Romanesque  churches  of  St  George,  St 
Martin  and  St  Cecilia.  In  the  succeeding  style, 
this  arrangement  also  obtains  at  Andernach,  though 
the  transverse  arches  of  the  vaulting  are  there 
pointed.  At  Bacharach  and  Boppart  we  have  two 
rows  of  clerestory  windows,  one  below  the  vaulting 
capitals,  and  one  above,  but  it  is  difficult  to  say  if 
this  was  the  original  intention. 


110 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


In  many  Romanesque  churches,  however,  we 
have  but  one  clerestory  window  in  each  compart- 
ment of  the  vaulting ; and  if  in  this  case  the  com- 
partments are  subdivided  into  two  in  the  aisles,  we 
have  twice  as  many  windows  below  as  above.  This 
is  the  case  in  the  ancient  church  of  Laach  ; and 
this  arrangement  is  adopted  in  the  succeeding  style 
at  Bamberg  and  Limburg. 

Besides  these  forms  of  the  clerestory,  which  are 
common  to  the  Romanesque  and  the  Transition,  we 
have  frequently  in  the  latter  style  windows  of  a new 
kind  introduced.  Thus,  at  Bonn,  we  have  triads 
of  windows  of  which  the  centre  one  is  highest ; but 
this  form,  though  very  common  in  Early  English, 
is  not  general  in  Early  German.  A window  which 
is  frequently  found  and  peculiar  to  this  style,  is  a 
fan-shaped  window,  which  may  he  described  as  the 
upper  part  of  a circle  (more  than  half)  of  which 
the  circumference  is  cut  into  round  notches.  This 
obtains  in  the  clerestory  of  Sinzig,  and  of  the  dome 
of  St  Gereon ; (which  latter,  however,  has  another 
range  of  windows  above).  The  same  window  is 
found  in  the  side  aisles  of  Bonn,  St  Cunibert,  St 
Gereon,  and  Notre  Dame  at  Coblentz. 

In  speaking  of  the  vaulting  shafts,  their  capitals 
were  not  particularly  described.  In  the  earlier 
Transition  buildings,  the  capital  is  often  a bell- 
shaped block,  or  some  similar  form,  with  a square 
abacus ; at  a somewhat  later  period  of  the  change, 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


Ill 


we  have  upright  leaves  like  those  of  the  Early 
English,  still  with  a square  abacus.  This  square 
abacus  must  be  considered  as  a Romanesque  feature, 
and  the  Gothic  is  not  complete  where  it  occurs; 
but  it  is  one  of  the  last  traces  of  the  Transition 
style  which  we  lose.  In  England  this  form  dis- 
appears at  a much  earlier  period  of  the  change. 
In  the  course  of  the  transition,  we  have  often  two 
square  abacuses  set  obliquely  to  each  other  in  the 
vaulting,  as  at  Bonn  and  Seligenstadt ; and  this 
occurs  also  in  England,  as  at  Hornsey.  In  triple 
shafts,  there  is  sometimes  over  the  center  one  a 
projecting  angle  in  the  abacus,  as  at  Ebrach  near 
Bamberg. 

Afterwards,  we  have  the  polygonal  abacus  which 
properly  belongs  to  the  Gothic,  and  under  it  either 
woven  foliage,  or  crumpled  leaves,  or  not  unfre- 
quently  two  rows  of  flowers,  as  at  Oppenheim,  and 
in  several  of  the  cathedrals  of  the  Netherlands. 
The  round  abacus,  so  common  in  our  Early  English 
buildings,  is  found  but  rarely  in  Germany ; it  occurs 
in  the  shafts  between  the  choir  windows  at  Remagen 
and  Heimersheim. 

4.  Aisle  Windows . 

The  windows  of  the  side  aisles  have  been  already 
described  in  speaking  of  clerestory  windows;  and 
the  pillars  of  the  aisle  vaulting  which  stand  between 
the  windows  have  been  mentioned  in  treating  of 


112! 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


vaulting.  The  wall  in  Romanesque  and  Early  Ger- 
man churches  has  seldom  any  ornaments  interiorly, 
and  the  windows  have  generally  plain  sides. 

5.  Apse. 

The  apse  is  generally  distinguished  from  the 
rest  of  the  building  by  various  peculiarities  of 
architecture.  In  small  churches  it  has  mostly  no 
aisle,  tQ  which  however  St  Mary  Capitoline  is  a fine 
exception.  The  east  end  of  Worms  has  also  an 
aisle.  These  apses  generally  consist  of  two  stories 
of  arches  on  pillars,  some  of  the  arches  being  open 
as  windows.  The  pillars  are  various;  single,  as  in 
the  transepts  of  St  Mary  Capitoline,  and  most  small 
churches ; or  double,  as  in  the  choir  of  the  same 
church.  One  of  the  alterations  which  takes  place 
in  passing  to  the  Early  German  style  is,  that  these 
shafts  come  to  be  clustered,  often  in  threes,  often 
banded;  sometimes,  as  at  Remagen,  with  a round 
abacus,  though  this  is  a resemblance  to  Early 
English  shafts,  which  is  rarely  found  in  Germany. 
There  is  no  part  of  the  building  where  the  transition 
from  the  earlier  to  the  later  style  is  more  marked 
than  in  the  apse.  The  form  becomes  polygonal 
instead  of  circular;  the  sides  of  the  polygon  are 
extended  upwards  into  vaulting-escutcheons * ; slen- 

* The  wall  at  the  ends  of  the  pointed  vaulting-cells  has 
the  form  of  an  inverted  escutcheon,  and  is  here  designated  by 
that  word. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


113 


der  shafts,  often  banded,  are  placed  in  the  angles  of 
the  polygon ; the  windows  become  pointed,  and  are 
flanked  by  shafts;  there  are  openings  above  the 
windows  in  the  escutcheons,  and  the  whole  structure 
assumes  an  appearance  of  being  elongated  upwards, 
and  of  having  its  parts  drawn  into  a slender  and 
delicate  form.  This  description  applies  to  the  east 
ends  of  Gelnhausen,  Seligenstadt,  Limburg,  Sinzig, 
Heimersheim  ; to  St  Severin  at  Cologne ; the  north 
and  south  apses  of  Bonn  ; the  west  ends  of  Mentz, 
Worms,  Bamberg  and  St  Sebaldus  at  Nuremberg. 

In  Heimersheim  and  Remagen,  which  are  small 
and  ill-executed  churches,  we  have  apse  windows 
which  are  comparatively  tall  and  narrow.  If  we 
suppose  the  same  plan  to  he  adopted  on  a larger 
and  more  complete  scale,  we  shall  have  an  easy 
transition  to  the  splendid,  lofty  and  transparent 
polygons  which  form  the  apses  in  the  fully  de- 
veloped Gothic. 

6.  Intermediate  Compartment. 

The  compai'tment  next  the  apse  is  very  often 
differently  constructed  from  those  which  make  up 
the  remainder  of  the  church,  especially  in  Ro- 
manesque churches.  In  those  which  have  a tran- 
sept, this  compartment  generally  fills  up  the  inter- 
mediate space  between  the  apse  and  the  crossing  of 
the  transept;  and  in  these  cases  it  is  very  often 
without  its  windows  above.  This  circumstance  may 
9 


114 


architectural  notes 


sometimes  have  arisen  from  this  part  of  the  church 
having  towers  built  against  the  outside.  This  blank 
occurs,  for  instance,  at  Laach,  at  the  east  end  of 
Spires  and  Worms,  and  also  at  Mentz,  though  here 
this  compartment  has  the  cupola  over  it.  Among 
the  transverse-triapsal*  churches  of  Cologne,  St 
Martin  and  St  Aposteln  have  the  upper  part  of  the 
walls  of  this  compartment  filled  up  by  two  stories 
of  small  arches,  some  on  shafts  and  some  on  little 
pilasters.  St  Mary  Capitoline  has  it  with  arches 
below  and  above  like  the  other  compartments  of  the 
apse,  hut  without  any  opening.  Something  similar 
is  the  case  in  most  of  the  other  churches  of  that 
style.  Perhaps  the  object  was  to  give  effect  to  the 
windows  of  the  apse,  which  were  generally  filled 
with  fine  stained  glass,  by  admitting  no  lateral  light 
to  distract  the  eye  in  their  immediate  neighbour- 
hood. 

Features  in  many  respects  similar  mark  this 
part  of  the  church  in  the  succeeding  style.  At 
Andernach,  Bonn,  and  Boppart,  it  is  blank.  At 
Sinzig,  Limburg,  and  in  Notre  Dame  at  Coblentz, 
it  has  peculiar  decorations  in  the  triforium  and 
clerestory,  which,  sometimes,  as  at  Limburg,  are 
the  continuation  of  those  in  the  transept.  The 

* Viz  the  churches  which  have  apses  at  the  ends  of  the 
transept,  as  well  as  of  the  choir.  They  are  to  be  distinguished 
from  parallel-triapsa f churches,  where  we  have  three  apses  all 
towards  the  east. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


115 


lower  story  is  often  occupied  by  an  arcade ; and  not 
nnfrequently  in  the  Early  German  churches,  this 
consists  of  strong  trefoil-headed  arches  on  shafts  or 
corbels,  or  intermixed.  This  we  have  at  Seligen- 
stadt,  Gelnhausen,  the  west  end  of  St  Sehaldus  at 
Nuremberg,  and  of  the  cathedral  at  Bamberg. 

The  lower  part  of  this  intermediate  compart- 
ment is  often  modified  by  the  intention  of  adapting 
it  to  the  stalls,  with  which  it  was  to  be  filled  up. 
On  this  account,  the  vaulting  pillars  often  spring 
from  corbels,  as  at  Bonn  and  St  Severin,  or  from 
the  triforium  tablet,  as  at  Bamberg. 

In  the  last-mentioned  church,  the  western  choir 
is  flanked  by  the  two  western  doors ; and  to  sepa- 
rate the  choir  from  the  aisles,  which  thus  become 
entries,  there  are  original  stone  screens,  which  have 
trefoil-headed  pannels,  rich  shafts,  and  sculpture. 
We  have  similar  partitions  at  Mentz  and  at  Lim- 
burg, and  probably  at  other  places,  though  these 
screens  are  often  later. 

7.  Transept. 

The  decorations  of  the  transept  are  for  the  most 
part  a continuation  of  the  members  of  the  nave  or 
choir.  These  members  are  however  frequently  some- 
what modified,  but  it  is  difficult  to  give  any  general 
account  of  the  alterations  which  occur. 

The  mode  of  constructing  the  ends  is  sometimes 
characteristic.  In  the  early  and  simple  Romanesque 

9—2 


116 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


churches,  it  is  very  common  to  have  two  plain  small 
windows  below  and  one  above,  as  in  the  ruined 
church  of  St  Peter’s  at  Gelnhausen,  in  the  old 
church  of  Eberbach,  and  in  St  Castor  at  Coblentz. 
In  other  churches,  as  at  Spires  (and  this  is  the  case 
with  many  Norman  churches),  we  have  three  or 
more  stories,  and  in  each  story,  two  round-headed 
windows. 

But  in  the  Early  German  style,  there  is  a dis- 
position to  use  triads  of  windows,  and  also  very 
commonly  circular  windows  variously  ornamented, 
as  at  Bamberg,  Ebrach,  Gelnhausen  and  Mentz ; 
in  which  cases  the  round  windows  are  plates  per- 
forated with  openings,  so  as  to  approach  to  the  effect 
of  tracery.  These  circular  windows  are  also  found 
in  the  west  ends,  as  in  St  Paul’s  at  Worms,  and 
in  Limburg ; and  on  a smaller  scale  in  the  sides 
of  the  polygonal  apse,  as  in  the  cathedral  at 
Worms ; or  in  the  escutcheons  of  these  sides,  as 
at  Gelnhausen. 

V.  Exterior. 

I have  now  to  mention  the  parts  of  the  exterior , 
and  of  these,  the  most  important  are — the  windows, 
the  mode  of  ornamenting  the  side  walls,  the  apse, 
the  fronts  (the  west  end  and  the  transept  ends,)  and 
finally,  porches  and  buttresses. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


117 


1.  Windows. 

The  windows  have  little  variety.  They  are 
generally,  both  in  Romanesque  and  Early  German 
work,  small  and  round-headed : in  the  latter  style, 
however,  they  are  sometimes  pointed  and  sometimes 
also  accompanied  by  a roll  moulding.  It  has  already 
been  noticed,  that  as  the  Early  German  advances, 
the  windows  are  sometimes  found  in  triads  with  the 
center  one  tallest. 

2.  Corbel  Table . 

The  almost  universal  decoration  of  Romanesque 
side- walls,  is  the  corbel  table  with  circular  notches , 
and  with  pilaster-strips * between  the  windows  run- 
ning up  into  it : and  this  is  found  in  great  profusion 
in  most  of  the  examples  of  that,  and  also  of  the 
succeeding  style.  In  some  of  the  cases  where  the 
workmanship  is  rich,  as  at  Laach,  we  have  flow- 
ers, &c.  in  the  notch  spaces  of  the  corbel  table,  and 
the  edges  of  the  notches  formed  into  a roll  mould- 
ing : but  to  employ  any  other  moulding,  or  to  make 
the  form  of  the  notches  pointed,  as  at  Bamberg, 
belongs  to  the  later  style.  This  corbel  table  is  re- 
placed, in  the  transept  end  of  Bamberg,  and  the 

* I use  the  term  pilaster-strips  to  designate  projections 
from  the  wall,  which  are  about  the  breadth  and  proportion 
of  pilasters,  but  have  no  capitals,  and  pass  into  the  corbeL 
table. 


118 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


neighbouring  church  of  Ebrach,  by  a peculiar  orna- 
ment with  semi-circular  horizontal  notches. 

3.  Apse. 

In  very  plain  churches,  the  Romanesque  corbel 
table  also  runs  round  the  head  of  the  apse  wall. 
But  in  the  greater  number  of  the  churches  of  that 
style  the  apse  is  finished  in  a manner  very  peculiar. 
The  windows  are  placed  in  round-headed  pannels 
which  are  on  shafts  or  pilasters,  and  run  in  one  or 
two  stories.  Over  these  is  an  apsidal  gallery  and 
cornice:  the  gallery  consists  of  open  round-headed 
arches  standing  on  small  shafts  two  or  three  feet 
high,  and  set  two  deep*:  and  in  this  line  of  shafts, 
groups  of  four,  or  other  distinctions,  occur  at  regular 
intervals.  Above  this,  is  a bold  projecting  mould- 
ing, consisting  generally  of  two  quarter-rounds  with 
a hollow  between,  the  lower  round  being  cut  into 
billets,  the  upper  one  enriched  with  leaves,  as  clas- 
sical mouldings  often  are.  Below  the  gallery  is  in 
most  cases  a line  of  small  rectangular  sunk  pannels. 
This  particular  combination  of  ornaments  is  employ- 
ed with  remarkable  consistency  and  uniformity  in  a 

* Shafts  set  two  deep  are  a very  common  mode  of  en- 
riching Romanesque  buildings,  and  date  apparently  from  a 
very  early  period.  They  are  found  for  instance  in  the  clois- 
ters adjacent  to  the  ancient  churches  of  Laach,  Zurich,  and 
Aschaffenburg.  They  exist  also  in  many  ancient  buildings 
in  Italy,  and  in  the  palace  of  Frederic  Barbarossa  at  Geln- 
hausen. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


119 


great  number  of  Romanesque  churches,  as  St  Mary 
Capitoline,  St  Martin,  St  Castor  at  Coblentz,  the 
east  end  of  Mentz,  Spires,  &c. : Laach  is  an  ex- 
ception. 

This  mode  of  ornamenting  the  apse  is  em- 
ployed with  equal  constancy  in  the  next  style ; as 
for  instance,  in  the  west  end  of  the  cathedrals  of 
Worms  and  Mentz,  and  in  the  east  ends  of  St 
Paul’s  at  Worms,  Andernach,  Bacharach,  Sinzig, 
Bonn  and  Bamberg. 

At  Limburg,  the  gallery  has  square-headed,  at 
Gelnhausen,  trefoil-headed  openings. 

These  open  galleries  certainly  give  great  richness 
and  beauty  to  the  upper  parts  of  the  buildings  where 
they  are  used,  and  seem  to  have  been  favourite 
decorations  with  the  architects.  They  are  often 
carried  along  other  parts  of  the  building  besides  the 
apse.  Thus  at  Spires  they  are  continued  all  round ; 
at  St  Aposteln  they  run  along  the  square  part  of 
the  east  end:  and  the  octagons  which  occur  in 
Romanesque  and  Early  German  buildings  are  often 
thus  enriched;  as  at  Worms,  (both  the  octagons), 
at  St  Aposteln  and  St  Gereon. 

It  is  also  to  be  noted,  with  regard  to  the  apses  of 
the  Early  German  churches,  that  we  see  in  them 
the  buttress  beginning  to  appear,  though  very  flat 
and  small.  It  has  generally  a triangular  or  gahle 
head.  See  Mentz,  the  west  end,  and  Bamberg,  the 
west  end. 


120 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


In  later  work,  the  galleries  are  carried  along  the 
clerestory,  with  arches  somewhat  larger,  and  often 
pointed,  as  at  Limburg  and  Bonn. 

4.  Towers. 

The  Romanesque  towers , and  those  which  suc- 
ceeded them,  have  at  first  sight  a great  resemblance ; 
both  consist  of  a number  of  stories  with  corbel  tables 
and  round-headed  pannelings  and  openings  to  most 
of  the  stories.  The  trefoil-headed  pannel  as  well  as 
the  round-headed  one  appears  to  occur  in  very  early 
work,  as  for  instance  at  St  Castor  and  Laach. 

On  a closer  examination,  however,  it  seems  not 
impossible  to  find  differences  between  the  towers 
of  the  two  styles.  The  square  towers  have  ofteu 
their  sides  terminated  upwards  by  a gable,  so  as  to 
make  the  covering  a square  pyramid  set  on  diagonal- 
wise  upon  the  square  of  the  tower.  In  the  earlier 
churches,  these  gables  or  pediments  have  not  acute 
angles,  and  they  are  bounded,  both  at  the  lower  edge 
and  at  the  inclined  edges,  by  a strongly  marked 
cornice.  The  towers  of  the  Early  German  style  have, 
at  least  often,  a more  acute  pediment,  with  cor- 
nices, especially  the  horizontal  one,  more  slight ; as 
for  instance  the  west  tower  of  St  Aposteln. 

The  four  towers  of  Bamberg,  which  must  be 
considered  as  belonging  to  the  transition  style,  are 
of  a very  rich  and  peculiar  character,  and,  like  the 
rest  of  that  noble  cathedral,  of  very  excellent  work. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


121 


Other  differences  are  to  be  found  in  the  corbel 
tables  of  the  later  churches.  At  Andernach,  Bop- 
part,  Limburg,  &c.  besides  the  usual  corbel  table, 
there  are,  over  the  windows,  in  several  of  the  tower 
stories,  lines  having  embattled  or  wavy  forms,  and 
variously  enriched.  When  the  openings  become 
pointed,  the  shafts  banded,  or  clustered,  or  much 
multiplied,  and  the  mouldings  deeper  and  more 
complex,  the  features  of  the  newer  style  are  more 
obvious,  as  at  Bonn,  Sinzig,  Heimersheim  and 
Gelnhausen. 

5.  Fronts. 

The  fronts , and  the  west  fronts  in  particular,  of 
Romanesque  and  Early  German  churches,  are  not 
commonly  distinguished  by  any  very  remarkable 
features.  In  many  instances  of  the  former  style,  as 
has  been  observed,  the  west  end  is  an  apse,  as  well  as 
the  east.  Laach,  where  this  is  the  case,  has  at  the 
west  end  a square  court  with  cloisters,  which  forms 
a sort  of  portal  to  the  church : so  also  has  St  Mary 
Capitoline.  At  Lorsch  the  very  old  and  curious 
chapel  which  is  still  preserved  seems  to  have  been 
a part  of  such  a portal  space*. 

In  most  early  buildings,  where  there  is  a west 
front,  it  has  a few  round-headed  openings  at  the 
ends  of  the  side-aisles,  as  at  Eberbach. 

* We  find  similar  portal  cloisters  in  Italy,  as  in  the  church 
of  St  Ambrose  at  Milan. 


122 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


But  there  are  few  cases  where  these  fronts  are 
visible  as  constructed  by  the  Romanesque  architects. 
They  are  often  concealed  by  their  connection  with 
other  buildings,  or  superseded  by  later  erections. 

In  the  west  fronts  of  the  succeeding  style,  and 
also  in  the  transept  ends,  we  have  often  to  remark 
doors  with  pointed  arches,  detached  and  banded 
shafts,  and  enriched  roll  mouldings,  which  to  an  eye 
accustomed  to  English  architecture  have  a more 
completely  Gothic  character  than  the  other  parts 
This  may  be  noticed  at  St  Gereon,  St  Cunibert, 
Sinzig,  Andernach,  Bonn  and  Limburg. 

A mode  of  ornamenting  the  roll  mouldings  of 
the  arch,  which  is  very  common  in  these  cases,  is  to 
give  it  bands,  as  if  it  were  a shaft,  at  certain  in- 
tervals : for  instance,  at  the  highest  point,  and  at 
the  middle  points  of  the  two  sides  of  the  arch.  An- 
other ornament  which  is  common,  is  a little  roll  or 
rouleau  placed  transversely  under  the  summit  of 
the  arch,  so  that  its  circular  end  just  occupies  the 
arch-point. 

The  arrangement  of  windows  in  the  transept 
end  has  been  mentioned  in  speaking  of  the  interior. 
Exteriorly  the  transept  has  often  a pilaster  or  but- 
tress-strip*  dividing  the  front  into  two  halves,  with 
windows  on  each  side.  This  arrangement  is  also 
that  of  our  Norman  buildings.  At  Spires  the  pilas- 

* A broad  flat  buttress  of  slight  projection. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


123 


ters  have  good  Corinthian  capitals,  and  the  archi- 
traves of  the  windows  are  enriched. 

Here  may  be  mentioned  the  fronts  of  the  old 
cathedrals  which  are  found  in  the  north  of  Germany, 
as  at  Brunswick  and  Goslar.  They  consist  of  a 
wall  of  very  plain  work  pierced  with  a window, 
flanked  by  octagonal  towers,  which  have  round- 
headed  openings  subdivided  into  double  openings 
by  shafts. 

The  Italian  Romanesque  fronts  have  generally 
one  or  more  circular  windows,  and  a quantity  of 
arcades,  horizontal  and  sloping,  with  other  enrich- 
ments, and  also  the  curious  portico  shortly  to  be 
described. 

6.  Porches. 

We  here  speak  of  Porches , so  far  as  they  are 
to  be  found  in  these  styles  of  architecture.  In  our 
Norman  buildings  in  England  such  a member  some- 
times appears ; but  a distinct  porch  is  not  found  in 
the  Romanesque  churches  of  Germany.  In  Italy, 
at  least  in  Lombardy,  it  appears  to  be  a common 
part  of  the  earliest  buildings.  Several  of  the  old 
and  curious  churches  of  Verona,  as  St  Zeno  and 
the  cathedral,  have  a remarkable  portico  ; and  this, 
from  the  representation  in  Mr  Kerrich’s  paper  in 
Vol.  xyi.  of  the  Archaeologia,  appears  to  occur  also 
at  Placentia,  Modena  and  Parma. 

This  portico  consists  of  a covering  projecting 


124 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


from  the  wall  of  the  church,  and  supported  at  each 
side  by  one  or  more  pillars.  The  covering  has  a 
triangular  pediment  and  sloping  roof  above,  and  a 
barrel  vault  below : and  is  very  often  in  two  stories, 
as  in  the  cathedral  at  Verona,  Placentia,  Modena 
and  Parma ; and  sometimes  in  one  story  only,  as  at 
St  Zeno.  The  pillars  at  the  sides  generally  rest  on 
lions  or  other  animals,  and  when  there  are  more  than 
one  pair,  as  at  Verona,  are  varied  in  their  propor- 
tions and  capitals,  and  are  some  of  them  twisted,  &c. 
A portico  similar  to  those  of  one  story  occurs  on  the 
south  side  of  the  cathedral  of  Trent ; one  somewhat 
different,  with  groining,  being  found  on  the  north 
side  of  the  same  church. 

In  the  German  churches  the  style  which  suc- 
ceeded the  Romanesque  has  often  porches  at  the 
west  end  of  the  church,  consisting  of  a few  com- 
partments of  groining  (generally  two)  supported  by 
pillars.  Such  porches  are  found  at  St  Martin,  St 
Cunibert  and  St  Gereon. 

Another  member  having  some  analogy  to  a porch 
should  be  noticed.  It  consists  in  the  front  of  a porch 
stuck  against  the  wall ; that  is,  the  door,  instead  of 
being  in  the  plain  wall,  is  opened  in  a compartment 
having  a slight  projection,  and  bounded  by  upright 
returns  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  door.  Thisjt?ro- 
jecting  face  of  wall  is  sometimes  ornamented  with 
sculpture,  of  which  the  Schotten-kirche  at  Ratisbon 
is  a very  curious  example.  At  other  times  it  has 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


125 


only  the  mouldings  of  the  other  part  of  the  wall, 
occasionally  with  the  addition  of  the  foliage  of  the 
capitals  of  the  door-shafts  continued  as  a running 
moulding.  Instances  are  Andernach,  Bamberg  and 
St  Sebaldus  at  Nuremberg. 

This  is  found,  so  far  as  I have  observed,  prin- 
cipally in  Early  German  work. 

The  doors  in  most  of  these  cases  are  round- 
headed,  and  have  the  tympanum  filled  up  and 
enriched  with  sculpture.  And  in  such  doors,  the 
lintel  which  bounds  the  tympanum  below  has  its 
upper  edge  formed  into  a low  pediment. 

7.  Buttresses. 

It  must  be  considered  remarkable  that  in  the 
Romanesque  style,  where  the  vaulting  is  often  very 
large  and  bold,  buttresses  seem  to  have  been  un- 
known, their  place  being  supplied  by  the  enormous 
thickness  of  the  walls,  and  by  the  lowness  of  the 
spring  of  the  arch,  which  threw  much  of  the  thrust 
of  the  main-aisle  vaulting  upon  the  vaults  of  the 
side  aisles.  Perhaps  the  hollowing  out  segmental 
spaces  in  the  wall  between  the  pillars  (as  in  St  Cas- 
tor at  Coblentz)  may  be  considered  as  an  artifice 
indicating  a perception  of  the  possibility  of  employ- 
ing buttresses  instead  of  a uniformly  thick  wall ; 
and  when  we  arrive  at  the  Early  German  style,  we 
find  buttresses  make  their  appearance,  as  in  the 
west  end  and  transept  of  Mentz,  at  Seligenstadt, 


1 26 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


Heimersheim,  Sinzig,  &c.  They  are  however  in 
all  these  cases  of  small  projection ; are  terminated 
usually  with  a plain  triangular  capping,  and  are  not 
otherwise  made  conspicuous.  It  is  not  till  we  come 
to  the  next  style  (the  complete  or  Decorated  Gothic) 
that  the  advantage  of  them  seems  to  have  been  fully 
perceived.  In  that  style,  buttresses  of  deep  pro- 
jection, and  often  flying-buttresses,  are  used  in  a 
profuse  and  almost  wanton  manner  to  elevate  into 
the  air  clerestories  of  vast  height  and  of  the  most 
open  and  diaphanous  workmanship;  and  thus  they 
are  the  main  instruments  in  giving  to  the  structures 
of  that  period  the  extraordinary  elevation  and  light- 
ness by  which  they  are  characterized. 


It  will,  I think,  appear  from  the  account  which 
has  been  given  of  the  transition  style  of  Germany, 
that  the  introduction  of  the  pointed  arch  was  by  no 
means  immediately  accompanied  by  all  the  other 
changes  which  distinguish  the  Gothic  from  the  Ro- 
manesque. The  old  forms  and  tendencies  lingered 
long,  and  were  replaced  gradually:  and  the  Early 
German  architecture,  for  a considerable  period,  offers 
an  image  of  the  conflict  and  indecision  of  a revolution 
which  is  to  end  in  replacing  the  prevailing  principles 
by  their  opposites.  At  last  the  new  character  strug- 
gled fairly  through,  and  freed  itself  from  the  frag- 
ments of  the  older  system.  And  if  we  would  select 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


127 


the  most  important  of  the  improvements  by  which 
* this  complete  developement  was  effected,  we  must, 
I conceive,  fix  upon  the  introduction  of  the  flying- 
buttress . The  inventor  of  this  exemplification  of 
architectural  and  mechanical  skill  must  be  consi- 
dered as  having  done,  for  the  advancement  of 
Gothic  architecture,  far  more  than  the  inventor  of 
the  pointed  arch : or  rather  as  having  given  the 
means  of  executing  in  their  full  extent,  those  won- 
derful works  of  which  the  pointed  arch  contained 
the  first  imperfect  rudiment  and  suggestion. 

It  would  hardly  be  too  fanciful  to  consider  the 
newer  religious  architecture  as  bearing  the  impress 
of  its  Christian  birth,  and  exhibiting  in  the  leading 
lines  of  its  members,  and  the  aspiring  summit  of  its 
edifices,  forms  “whose  silent  finger  points  to  hea- 
ven.” And  this  idea  becomes  more  striking  still 
when  we  compare  our  religious  buildings  with  the 
graceful  but  low  and  level  outline  of  the  temples 
of  heathen  antiquity,  whose  favorite  purpose  seems 
to  be  to  spread  along  and  beautify  the  earth  which 
their  worshippers  deified.  We  may  thus,  with  the 
poet’s  as  well  as  the  artist’s  pleasure,  image  to 
ourselves 

— — — the  bulk 

Of  ancient  Minster  lifted  above  the  cloud 
Of  the  dense  air  which  town  or  city  breeds 
To  intercept  the  sun’s  glad  beams ; 

and  leaving  far  below  it  the  pillared  front  and 


1 28 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


long  entablature  of  the  Grecian  portico : while  the 
faittressed  clerestory,  with  its  spiry  pinnacles  and 
woven  tracery,  hangs  over  the  altar  and  the  sanctu- 
ary, like  a coronal  upheld  by  the  stony  arms  which 
the  Christian  architects  learnt  to  make  powerful 
and  obedient  for  this  purpose. 


Sect.  3.  On  the  Complete  Gothic  Style  in 
Germany . 

The  progress  of  the  style  of  which  the  characters 
have  now  been  indicated  led  to  the  formation  of  the 
Complete  Gothic.  This  style  I shall  not  dwell 
upon ; it  is  almost  sufficient  to  refer  to  Mr  Rick- 
man’s account  of  the  Decorated  English,  and  to  the 
English  specimens  which  exemplify  that  kind  of 
architecture.  The  resemblance  obtains  not  only  in 
the  general  forms  of  the  members  and  parts,  but 
in  the  details  also,  the  canopies,  bases,  profiles  of 
mouldings,  &c. 

The  earliest  form  of  the  Complete  Gothic  in  Ger- 
many has,  throughout,  geometrical  tracery.  Cologne 
cathedral  is  the  unrivalled  glory  of  buildings  of  this 
class ; the  most  splendid,  and  perhaps  the  earliest 
exhibition  of  the  beauties  of  this  style.  The  abbey 
of  Altenberg,  at  a little  distance  from  Cologne,  now 
a manufactory,  had  a church  of  the  same  admirable 
style,  which  still  exists.  This  is  said  to  have  been 
built  by  the  same  person  who  was  the  architect  of 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


129 


Cologne;  and  as  it  was  finished,  we  are  enabled, 
from  the  exquisite  lightness  and  grace  of  its  lofty 
interior,  to  form  some  conception  of  the  splendid  and 
majestic  vision  which  would  have  been  embodied  by 
the  completion  of  the  original  plan  of  Cologne.  The 
church  of  Altenberg  is  particularly  worthy  of  notice 
for  the  beautiful  and  varied  forms  of  its  window 
tracery,  which  in  the  interior  view  are  seen  to  sin- 
gular advantage,  the  glass  being  ornamented  in 
white  and  grey  patterns,  which  subdue  without 
colouring  the  light*.  The  church  of  St  Catharine 
at  Oppenheim,  near  Worms,  also  in  part  a ruin,  is 
another  fine  example  of  this  style,  and  has  been 
worthily  illustrated  in  the  magnificent  work  of  Mr 
Muller.  These  buildings  are  remarkable  for  a purity 
and  simplicity  in  their  details  which  our  Decorated 
Style  does  not  always  possess. 

The  splendid  cathedral  of  Strasburg  belongs  to 
the  same  class  as  that  at  Cologne,  and  has  some  of 
the  same  peculiarities.  Among  other  examples  of 
prodigality  of  ornament,  we  have  in  both  these 
buildings  double  'planes  of  tracery ; that  is,  two 
tracery  windows  or  frames  one  behind  another  in  the 
same  opening ; the  pattern  of  the  tracery  being  often 

* It  is  melancholy  to  see  this  beautiful  building  tending  to 
decay : perhaps  a short  time  will  deprive  it  of  the  advantage 
which  its  present  completeness  gives  it  over  its  more  magnifi- 
cent sister  of  Cologne.  The  roof  is  insufficient,  and  the  south 
transept  is  broken  down,  so  that  the  church  seems  marked  out 
as  a prey  to  speedy  ruin. 

10 


130 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


different  in  the  two.  This  extravagance  (for  it 
almost  deserves  to  he  so  called)  appears  in  the  towers 
at  Cologne ; at  Strasburg  it  is  carried  to  such  an 
extent  in  the  west  front,  that  the  building  looks  as 
if  it  were  placed  behind  a rich  open  screen,  or  in  a 
cage  of  woven  stone.  The  effect  of  this  construction 
is  certainly  very  gorgeous,  hut  with  a sacrifice  of 
distinctness  from  the  multiplicity  and  intersections 
of  the  lines.  Freyhurg  is  another  great  church  with 
obvious  resemblances  to  Strasburg ; it  is  a very  fine 
building,  but  is  remarkable  rather  for  the  beauty  of 
its  composition  and  form,  than  for  the  delicacy  of  its 
details;  nothing,  however,  can  be  more  admirable 
than  the  open  work  of  its  matchless  spire. 

At  a period  a little  later,  we  have  flowing 
tracery , and  this  occurs  with  most  abundant  variety 
of  form  in  most  of  the  Gothic  buildings : among 
others,  in  the  cathedral  at  Freyburg,  and  with  some 
very  curious  features  in  that  at  Strasburg. 

Other  buildings  belonging  to  the  complete  Gothic 
style,  are  St  Thomas  and  St  Lefrau  at  Oberwesel ; 
St  Werner,  in  ruins,  at  Bacharach ; Lorch  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  Rhine ; St  Stephen,  St  Quin  tin 
and  St  Christopher  at  Mentz;  a very  beautiful 
church  and  a chapel  at  Kidrich  near  Elfeld;  the 
cathedral  at  Frankfort;  the  church  at  Neustadt  on 
the  Haardt ; the  cathedral  at  Ratisbon,  and  the 
church  of  the  Minorites,  now  the  Halle,  in  that 
city;  St  Sebaldus,  St  Lawrence,  &c.  at  Nuremburg; 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES.  131 

St  Mary  and  the  Deutsche  Haus  at  Wurzburg;  and 
many  others  in  almost  every  city  in  Germany. 

Several  of  these  buildings  probably  belong  to 
different  ages;  for  the  separation  of  the  pure  Gothic 
from  the  styles  into  which  it  degenerated  requires 
a particular  study,  and  a scrupulous  discrimination 
which  it  has  not  been  my  purpose  at  present  to 


exercise. 


CHAPTER  III. 


SUGGESTIONS  ON  THE  MANNER  OF  MAKING 
ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES. 

Sect.  1.  On  describing  Churches. 

By  comparing  actual  buildings  with  descriptions 
conveyed  in  precise  and  determinate  phraseology, 
such  as  is  that  of  Mr  Rickman,  the  architectural 
observer  will  become  aware  how  completely  words 
alone  may  avail  to  preserve  and  transmit  distinct 
and  adequate  conceptions  of  an  edifice.  And  when 
he  has  thus  begun  to  feel  the  import  and  value  of  a 
technical  language,  a little  practice  and  contrivance 
will  enable  him  thus  to  register  for  himself,  or  for 
others,  the  principal  features  of  any  building  which 
may  attract  his  notice.  If  he  should  happen  to  visit 
the  churches  of  Germany,  it  is  hoped  that  the  clas- 
sifications and  terms  introduced  in  the  preceding 
pages  may  be  of  service  in  enabling  him  to  discover 
and  characterize  the  most  remarkable  of  their  pecu- 
liarities. And  should  he  examine  the  churches  re- 
ferred to  in  the  previous  Chapters,  or  other  similar 
buildings  not  familiar  to  the  English  reader,  of  which 
there  exist  in  Germany  a great  number  possessing 
very  interesting  characters,  he  may,  by  recording 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES,  &C.  133 

their  peculiarities,  contribute  to  throw  light  upon 
the  history  of  architecture ; for  in  this  study,  as  in 
all  others,  any  sound  speculation  must  he  founded 
on  the  accurate  knowledge  of  an  extensive  collection 
of  particular  instances.  If  for  this,  or  for  any  other 
purpose,  he  should  make  his  memoranda  concerning 
a number  of  churches  in  succession,  some  method  in 
doing  this  may  be  of  service.  The  subdivisions  em- 
ployed in  the  preceding  descriptions  indicate  the 
points  to  which  the  attention  is  to  be  directed ; and 
these  may  be  made  a guide  in  the  survey  of  each 
church.  But  besides  this  general  enumeration, 
several  rules  of  order  and  selection  will  probably 
occur  to  the  observer,  tending  to  facilitate  and  ex- 
pedite his  labour ; and  such  as  have  occurred  to 
one  person,  may  possibly  be  of  some  use  to  others. 
Under  this  impression,  the  following  directions  are 
offered  to  the  reader,  being  such  as  I found  it  in 
general  convenient  to  follow,  in  the  course  of  the 
observations  which  gave  rise  to  the  preceding  pages. 

In  describing  a church,  mention  first  what  is 
the  general  style  of  the  work  (Romanesque, 
Transition,  Complete  Gothic,  Perpendicular,  &c.) 
for  this  both  conveys  a general  notion  of  its  ap- 
pearance, and  modifies  the  interpretation  of  the 
terms  afterwards  used. 

Describe  next  the  ground-plan,  and  then  the 
vaulting  : for  these  being  given,  the  number  and 
position  of  almost  all  the  members  is  determined, 


134 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


and  the  rest  of  the  description  will  have  a reference 
to  a known  arrangement  of  parts.  In  the  vaulting, 
mention  whether  it  is  Roman  vaulting,  or  some 
other  form  of  quadripartite,  or  sexpartite,  &c. ; if 
quadripartite,  whether  both  transverse  and  longitu- 
dinal ribs  are  pointed ; whether  in  single  or  double 
compartments ; the  ribs  where  they  occur,  their  form 
and  mouldings ; and  whether  the  side  aisles  are  of 
the  same  kind  as  the  center  aisle. 

Describe  next  one  compartment  of  the  inside, 
selecting  that  which  is  most  frequently  repeated: 
and  noticing— first  the  piers , whether  they  are  co- 
lumns, pilasters,  shafts  and  pier-edges,  clustered 
shafts,  or  piers  of  clustered  mouldings,  and  what  the 
difference  is  of  the  intermediate  piers,  if  any : their 
capitals , whether  Corinthian,  cushion,  sculpture,  up- 
right leaves,  woven  foliage,  &c. : the  aisles , whether 
they  have  pillars  like  those  of  the  piers,  (their  vault- 
ing having  been  already  noticed,)  what  are  the  win- 
dows, and  whether  the  wall  is  ornamented then 
the  pier-arches , whether  round  or  pointed,  and 
whether  the  arch  is  plain,  rebated,  chamfered,  or 
with  what  mouldings : — then  the  triforium , whether 
blank,  pannelled,  of  detached  shafts  with  wall  be- 
hind, or  of  openings ; the  openings,  whether  single, 
or  double,  &c. ; or  subdivided ; and  if  either  double 
or  subdivided,  how  separated,  whether  by  shafts, 
clustered  shafts,  pilasters,  &c. ; and  whether  with 
round  or  pointed  openings then  the  clerestory ; 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


135 


the  windows,  whether  single,  in  pairs,  or  in  triads ; 
if  not  single,  how  separated ; with  what  mouldings  ; 
what  capitals  to  the  vaulting  shafts  : and  throughout, 
what  capitals  there  are  to  shafts,  and  what  mould- 
ings are  used,  when  they  offer  any  thing  remarkable. 

Afterwards,  notice  any  peculiarities  or  devia- 
tions from  this  compartment  which  appear  in  the 
apse , the  intermediate  compartment , the  transepts ; 
in  the  supporting  piers  of  the  crossing;  and  at  the 
west  end. 

In  describing  the  exterior,  the  order  of  de- 
scription does  not  appear  to  be  of  much  consequence. 
The  most  important  points  are,  the  number  and  posi- 
tion of  the  towers , whether  they  are  at  the  east,  at 
the  crossing,  &c. : whether  their  sides  end  in  gables, 
and  whether  these  have  strong  or  light  cornices, 
especially  the  horizontal  lines;  how  the  different 
stories  of  the  towers  are  decorated: — the  apses , 
whether  round  or  polygonal ; whether  the  peculiar 
apsidal  gallery  of  the  Romanesque : — the  finishing 
of  the  wall ; whether  by  a corbel  table  with  notches, 
round  or  pointed,  plain  or  moulded ; or  by  a cornice, 
balustrade,  canopies,  pinnacles,  &c.  The  buttresses 
also,  or  their  absence,  should  be  remarked:  what 
projection  they  have,  what  set-offs,  what  termina- 
tion, how  ornamented.  Flying  buttresses  are  to  be 
noticed,  and  how  they  are  stopped  and  supported 
at  the  lower  end.  Finally,  the  west  front  is  a lead- 
ing part  of  the  building  when  it  is  ornamented,  and 


136 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


the  porches  in  the  other  parts ; and  these  portions 
often  contain  the  richest  and  most  ornamented  work- 
manship in  the  whole  edifice.  If  the  church  has 
many  subordinate  members  externally,  and  is  re- 
markable in  detail,  it  may  be  proper  to  take  notes 
of  a single  compartment  externally,  from  the  ground 
to  the  roof  in  order.  The  windows  in  particular 
will  require  attention;  the  mouldings  of  the  win- 
dow-sides, the  dripstones,  canopies  and  pannellings 
which  accompany  them : and  especially  the  tracery . 
If  any  one  were  to  observe,  in  succession,  a great 
number  of  different  windows  of  the  complete  Gothic, 
he  would  probably  be  led  to  devise  some  simple  and 
technical  phraseology  or  notation  by  which  the  form 
of  the  tracery  might  be  conveyed ; but  this  does  not 
fall  within  the  main  purpose  of  the  present  Essay. 

Sect.  2.  Nomenclature . 

The  clearness  and  definiteness  of  an  architectu- 
ral description  must  depend  upon  the  use  of  terms 
accurately  defined  and  steadily  employed.  The 
phraseology  introduced  by  Mr  Rickman  should  be 
made  the  basis  of  such  a language ; but  in  apply- 
ing this  to  foreign  architecture,  which  he  had  not 
in  view,  it  becomes  convenient  to  introduce  several 
additional  words  and  phrases.  Some  of  these  have 
been  made  use  of  in  the  preceding  pages,  and  they 
have  generally  been  explained  when  first  employed. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


137 


The  following  is  a list  of  such  words,  with  a 
few  others  which  we  have  also  had  occasion  to 
illustrate. 


List  of  Technical  Terms  which  are  explained  in  the 
preceding  pages . 

PAGE 

Romanesque  style  48 

Transition.  Early  German  92 

Gothic 49 

Longitudinal  and  transverse  vaults 52 

Compartment 52 

Roman  vaulting  53 

Diagonal  rib  55 

Piers.  Pier-arches.  Clerestory.  Triforium 59 

Cylindrical  vault 60 

Apsis 60 

Crossing 6l 

Intermediate  compartment 6l  and  113 

Semi-dome 6l 

Domical  compartments 64 

Principal  and  intermediate  piers 69  and  70 

Vaulting  pillars 70 

Pilaster  masses  70 

Columns.  Shafts.  Pillars 70 

Cushion  capitals 71 

Longitudinal  and  transverse  ribs  or  bands  7 3 

Cells  of  a vault 76 

Quadripartite  vaulting 7 6 

Sexpartite  vaulting  76 

Octopartite  vaulting  on  a square  base 78 

Octopartite  vaulting  on  an  octagon  base 78 

Rolls  (mouldings) 86 

Architrave  of  an  arch 85 

Window-side Q3 

Concha 101 

Pier  of  engaged  shafts  and  pier-edges.  (Fig.  13.)  103 
Triforium  tablet 103 


138 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


PAGE 

Mannerchor.  Mannhaus 107 

Pannels  on  shafts 108 

Fanshaped  window.  (Fig.  12.) 110 

Escutcheon 78  and  112 

Transverse-triapsal  churches.  (Fig.  10.)  93  and  114 

Parallel- triapsal  churches.  (Fig.  11.) 114 

Notches  of  the  corbel  table 117 

Notch  spaces 117 

Pilaster-strips , . 117 

Apsidal  gallery  and  cornice.  (Fig*  15.) 118 

Shafts  set  two  deep 118 

Gable  head  of  a buttress 119 

Rouleau  at  the  point  of  an  arch... 122 

Buttress-strips 122 

Door  in  a projecting  face 124 

Double  planes  of  tracery 129 


The  following  terms  refer  to  Fan-Tracery  Vaulting. 


Spandrel  conoid 79 

Complex  vaulting 80 

Concavo-convex  vaulting 80 

Diverging  veins 80 

Concentric  bands 81 

Vaulting  pannels 81 

Reticulating  ribs 81 

Ridge  lozenges 81 


Sect.  3.  On  a Notation  to  express  Vaulting . 

Though  the  different  forms  of  vaults  may  be 
described  with  sufficient  distinctness  by  means  of 
the  terms  already  explained,  viz.  by  referring  them 
to  their  class  as  quadripartite,  sexpartite,  &c.  and 
by  noticing  whether  the  cells  are  deep  or  shallow, 
what  ribs  exist,  whether  these  are  pointed  or  round, 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


139 


and  of  what  mouldings  composed ; yet  it  is  often 
possible  to  represent  the  vaulting  more  immediately 
and  distinctly  to  the  eye  by  means  of  a few  lines 
drawn  to  indicate  it.  Having  found  the  conveni- 
ence and  simplification  which  arise  from  such  a 
notation,  I shall  here  give  an  account  of  the  me- 
thod which  I have  employed. 

A rude  plan  is  drawn  of  one  compartment  of 
the  vaulting  in  single  lines : that  is,  a rectangle  to 
represent  the  space  occupied  by  the  compartment, 
and  diagonal  or  other  lines  for  the  ribs  and  inter- 
sections of  vaults  which  occur. 

The  straight  lines  which  here  represent  arches , 
have  a small  cross  ( x ) marked  on  their  middle 
if  the  arch  is  'pointed:  if  it  be  round  they  have 
no  mark. 

The  cells  have  a mark  to  represent  whether 
they  are  pointed  or  round,  the  mark  being  a small 
apex  ( A ) turned  towards  the  intersection  of  the 
vaults  if  they  are  pointed ; and  a small  arc  ( n ) 
similarly  situated  if  they  are  round. 

The  lines  which  represent  the  principal  ribs  are 
drawn  double,  triple,  &c.  according  to  the  magni- 
tude and  number  of  the  mouldings : the  smaller 
ribs  being  represented  by  a smaller  number  of  lines, 
and  an  intersection  without  ribs  by  a single  line. 

Thus  in  Plate  I.  under  Figures  1,  2,  3,  4,  5, 
7,  8,  we  have  the  symbols  by  which  they  would 
in  this  system  be  represented. 


140 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


A dome  would  in  this  method  be  represented 
hy  a circle  surrounding  the  vertex  of  the  dome;  and 
a portion  of  a dome  by  an  arc  of  such  a circle. 

In  the  ground  plan  of  Mentz,  Fig.  9,  of 
St  Aposteln,  Fig.  10,  and  of  Laach,  Fig.  11,  the 
vaulting  is  represented  upon  this  system.  The 
second  of  these  churches  has  had,  within  a short 
time,  a vaulted  cieling  of  lath  and  plaster  substi- 
tuted for  the  ancient  tuf  vaulting.  The  modern 
form  is  represented  by  the  dotted  lines. 

Sect.  4.  On  making  Architectural  Notes  by  means 
of  Drawing. 

It  may  often  happen  that  a very  rude  and  im- 
perfect sketch,  such  as  it  requires  little  fskill  to  pro- 
duce, will  represent  the  form  and  relations  of  some 
members  of  architecture  better  and  more  briefly 
than  a description  in  words.  Where  a building 
is  thus  noted,  the  following  suggestions  may  be 
useful. 

Draw  a single  interior  compartment ; either  as 
a geometrical  elevation  ; or,  what  is  generally  better, 
hut  more  difficult,  as  an  oblique  perspective  view. 
By  this  means  we  obtain  both  the  forms  and  posi- 
tions of  the  piers,  pier  arches,  triforium,  clerestory, 
and  vaulting.  It  is  sufficient  to  represent  shafts  hy 
a single  or  double  line,  with  a short  transverse  line 
for  the  abacus,  and  similar  compendious  represen- 
tations may  be  employed  for  other  parts. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


141 


If  it  be  desirable  to  go  into  greater  detail, 
as  in  good  or  remarkable  churches  it  generally  is, 
some  of  the  following  additional  sketches  should  be 
added : the  plan  of  the  pier : its  capital : the  profile 
of  the  arch  mouldings : any  drawing  which  may  he 
requisite  to  explain  the  combinations  of  shafts  in 
the  triforium  and  clerestory : the  capitals  of  such 
shafts  : the  clerestory  window-sides : the  ornaments 
of  the  side  walls : the  tracery  of  the  windows : the 
ends  of  the  transept : the  apse. 

Externally,  a general  perspective  view  gives  the 
grouping  of  the  towers  and  their  parts : the  western 
front  and  the  apse  may  also  be  characteristic  : but 
such  drawings  are  generally  much  more  laborious 
and  difficult  than  the  memoranda  of  the  interior 
above  recommended. 

In  Plate  IV.  Fig.  12.  is  represented  a com- 
partment of  Sinzig  near  Bonn,  which  exhibits  a 
fan-shaped  window  in  the  clerestory. 

Sect.  5.  List  of  Churches. 

The  following  are  the  principal  German 
churches  which  I examined  and  noted  according 
to  the  method  just  explained.  The  observations 
made  on  these,  combined  with  what  I had  before 
noticed,  have  given  rise  to  the  preceding  attempt 
to  connect  and  discriminate  these  churches.  In  the 
list,  II  added,  is  to  indicate  that  a church  is  prin- 
cipally Romanesque;  G,  that  it  is  of  the  Gothic; 


142 


ARCHITECTURAL  NOTES 


and  T,  that  it  is  of  the  Transition  Style.  The 
most  remarkable  of  the  churches  are  distinguished 
by  an  asterisk.  They  are  arranged  according  to 
their  topographical  succession,  first  ascending  the 
Rhine,  and  then  diverging  into  Bavaria  and  Fran- 
conia. 


Near  the  Rhine. 
Cologne. 

* St  Mary  Capitoline.  R. 

* St  Martin.  R. 

St  George.  R. 

St  Andrew.  R.  Choir.  G. 

* St  Gereon.  R.  Polygon.  T. 

* St  Aposteln.  R. 

St  Pantaleon.  R. 

St  Cecilia.  R. 

* St  Cunibert.  T. 

St  Ursula.  R.  Roof.  G. 

St  Mary  Lyskirchen.  T. 

St  Severin.  T. 

St  Peter.  G. 

* Cathedral.  G. 

Bonn. 

* Cathedral.  T. 
Apollinarisberg.  R. 
Remagen.  T. 

Hemersheim.  T.  ) on  the 

* Ahrweiler.  G.  J Ahr. 

* Sinzig.  T. 

* Andernach.  T. 

* Laach.  R. 

CoBLENTZ. 

* St  Castor.  R. 

Notre  Dame.  T. 

St  Florian.  R. 

St  John.  T. 
Neiderlahnstein. 

* Boppart.  T. 


Oberwesel. 

St  Lefrau.  G. 

St  Thomas.  G. 

Bacharach. 

* Lutheran  Church.  T. 

* St  Werner.  G. 

Lorch.  G. 

* Clemenskirche.  R. 

Mentz. 

* Cathedral.  East  end  R. 

West  T. 

St  Stephen.  G. 

St  Quintin.  G. 

St  Christopher.  G. 

Rheingau. 

Winkle.  G. 

Johannisberg.  R. 

Eberbach  near  Elfeld. 

* Large  Abbey  Church.  R. 

* Small  do.  or  Hall?  T. 

* Cellars  do.  R. 

Kidrich  near  Elfeld. 

* Church.  G. 

* St  Michaels  Chapel.  G. 
Elfeld.  G. 

Frankfort. 

Cathedral.  G. 

St  Leonhard.  G.  Apse.  T. 
Seligenstadt.  ) on  the 
Aschaffenburg.  / Maine- 
Gelnhausen,  on  the  Kinzig. 

* Oppenheim.  G. 

Lorsch.  R. 


ON  GERMAN  CHURCHES. 


143 


Worms. 

* Cathedral.  East  end,  R. 

West,  T. 

* St  Paul.  R.  and  T. 

* St  Martin.  R. 

Limburg1  on  the  Haardt. 

Abbey  Church.  R. 
Neustadt.  G. 

Spires. 

* Cathedral.  R. 
Schwarzach.  R. 

Strasburg. 

* Cathedral.  G. 

St  Stephen.  R. 

St  Thomas.  T. 

Freyburg. 

* Cathedral. 

In  Bavaria. 
Morshurg. 

Landshut. 

St  Eudoch.  G. 

St  Martin.  G. 

Holy  Ghost.  G. 

Ratisbon. 

* Schottenkirche.  R. 

St  Emmeran.  R. 
Obermunster.  R.  Porch,  T. 
Niedermunster.  R. 
Minorites.  G. 

* Cathedral.  G. 

Old  Cathedral.  R. 


Nuremberg. 

St  Laurence.  G. 

* St  Ottmar’s  Chapel.  R. 

* St  Margeret’s R. 

* St  Eucharius’ T. 

* St  Sebaldus.  G.  West  end,  T. 

Bamberg. 

* Cathedral.  T. 

Oberpfarrkirche.  G. 

St  Stephen,  a tower.  R. 
Ebrach. 

* Large  Abbey  Church.  T. 

(Inside  modernized). 

Small  do.  T. 

Wurzburg. 

St  Burckhard.  R. 
Schottenkirche.  R. 

. Deutsche  Haus.  G. 
Domkirche.  R.  Inside 
modernized. 

Neumunster.  R.  Inside  do. 
St  Mary.  G. 

On  the  Lahn. 
Limburg. 

* Cathedral.  T. 

Bishop’s  Chapel.  G. 
Ditkirchen.  R. 

Arnsteim  T. 

Ems.  R. 

In  Switzerland. 
Schaffhausen  (old  Church).  R. 

* Zurich.  R. 

Lucerne.  R. 

I Bern.  G. 


' 


ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 

REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS, 


BY 

M.  F.  DE  LASSAULX, 


OF  COBLENTZ, 

ARCHITECTURAL  INSPECTOR  TO  THE  KING  OF  PRUSSIA. 


[APPENDED  TO  KLEIN’S  RHINE  JOURNEY  FROM 
STRASBURG  TO  ROTTERDAM.] 


Magnam  stragem  ejusmodi  Iapidibus  temporum  edacitas  intulit;  majorem 

bellorum  furor ; maximam  incuria  et  barbaries  indoctorum  hominutn,  etiam  in  ipso  hoc 
nostro  cultiori  cevo . 

Hontheim,  Gesta  Trev. 


11 


ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITION  S. 


As  in  all  places  where  old  buildings  still  exist,  it  is 
customary  to  esteem  them  older  than  they  really  are,  and 
to  shew  them  to  travellers  as  such,  so  it  is  on  the  Rhine. 
People  dream  of  Roman  works  and  heathen  temples, 
and  because,  on  account  of  the  excellence  of  the  building- 
materials,  there  are  more  remains  here  than  anywhere 
else,  they  take  everything  to  be  ancient,  which  war,  and 
fire,  and  old  and  new  discoverers,  have  spared.  But,  in 
truth,  at  the  expulsion  of  the  Romans  their  works  were 
utterly  destroyed,  in  the  same  manner  as  were  the  works 
of  the  Carlovingian  time  by  the  incursion  of  the  Nor- 
mans. But  those  buildings  which  in  the  tenth  century 
were  renovated,  or  built  anew,  as  also  the  innumerable 
ecclesiastical  structures  of  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  cen-  . 
turies,  were  for  the  most  part  destroyed  in  that  ruinous 
contest  between  Philip  of  Hohenstaufen  and  Otho  of 
Brunswick,  for  the  possession  of  the  throne  of  the  em- 
pire, and  which  afflicted  our  country  from  the  year  1198 
to  1206.  We  may  especially  notice,  that  when  Otho  was 
besieged  by  Philip  at  Cologne,  during  eighteen  months, 
(dating  from  1205),  the  whole  neighbourhood  was  laid 

11—2 


148  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


waste  with  destructive  rage ; and  we  may  remark,  that 
already  in  1 199  were  burnt  the  cities  of  Coblentz,  An- 
dernach,  Sinzig,  Remagen,  and  Bonn.  The  writer  of 
these  remarks,  himself  a great  lover  of  old  architecture , 
has  devoted  many  years  to  the  study  of  the  history 
and  construction  of  the  architectural  buildings  of  his 
native  land,  and  thinks  that  a few  details  may  be  inter- 
esting to  those  travellers  who  love  the  art,  as  well  as 
to  antiquarian  connoisseurs  in  general*.  A more  ex- 
tended work,  quoting  the  authorities  which  support  the 
author’s  opinions,  may  perhaps  be  given  hereafter.  [The 
following  Remarks  refer  to  places  mentioned  in  Klein’s 
Rheinreise;  and  as  no  English  translation  of  that  work 
exists,  the  corresponding  pages  of  the  German  edition 
are  given,  as  in  the  original  German  Remarks.] 

Mayencf,.- — Page  2.  The  mistaken  opinion  that 
all  plaster  walls  ( Gussmauern ) are  Roman  works,  and 
that  the  stones  were  first  built  up  dry,  and  afterwards 
plastered  with  fluid  mortar,  is  so  generally  diffused,  and, 
on  the  Rhine,  leads  to  so  many  false  historical  conclusions, 
that  the  writer  thinks  himself  obliged  to  begin  with  the 
refutation  of  both  errors. 

* He  who  is  tolerably  well  acquainted  with  the  history  of  our 
Architecture,  is  often  particularly  annoyed  when  travelling  by  coach 
or  by  steam-boat,  to  find  it  necessary  at  each  moment,  in  compliance 
with  truth,  to  correct  one  of  the  many  tales  which  hosts,  pilots,  post- 
masters, and  travellers,  serve  up  to  their  guests.  Even  in  Schreiber’s 
Rhine  Journey  there  is  a host  of  architectural  as  well  as  historical 
errors.  The  former  may  in  great  measure  he  referred  to  the  inaccu- 
rate statements  of  his  correspondents : — some  of  the  latter  are  amusing 
—for  example,  page  361,  we  read,  that  although  Bonn  was  twice 
destroyed  by  the  Normans  (882),  yet  that  the  building  of  the  Minster 
by  the  Empress  Helena  (332),  had  the  instant  effect  of  creating  a new 
town. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


149 


This  description  of  masonry,  which  Vitruvius  (Book 
ii.  Chap.  8)  describes  under  the  name  Emplecton , con- 
sists in  this : — The  two  external  sides  of  the  wall  are 
built  up  in  layers,  with  selected  quarry-stones,  (that  is, 
such  as  have  plane  surfaces),  and  the  space  between  these 
two  sides  of  the  wall  is  filled  up  with  rubble  and  plenty 
of  mortar,  without  much  regularity,  and,  according  to 
the  better  Greek  method,  by  degrees  or  stages;  that  is, 
the  rubble  and  mortar  are  thrown  in  at  the  time  the  two 
sides  of  the  wall  are  being  built  up,  and  are  frequently 
made  level  with  them ; but,  according  to  the  inferior 
method,  the  walls  are  allowed  to  attain  a certain  height 
before  the  central  space  is  filled  up.  By  the  first  method, 
and  with  the  assistance  of  good  mortar  *,  a well-compacted 
durable  wall  was  produced.  By  the  latter  method,  the 
materials  were  evidently  not  so  well  bound  together,  and 
thus,  instead  of  being  one  solid  mass,  the  wall  was,  pro- 
perly speaking,  three  separate  walls ; — viz.  the  two  out- 
sides and  the  intervening  part ; and  these  not  being 
cemented  together,  but  only  placed  as  it  were  in  contact, 
the  parts  were  liable  in  time  to  separate,  and,  accordingly, 
large  pieces  fell  away  from  time  to  time,  as  may  be  seen 
in  the  Friederburg  at  Rudesheim.  The  occurrence  of 
this  kind  of  masonry  proves  that  it  was  known  long 
after  the  time  of  the  Romans ; for,  up  to  the  fifteenth 
century,  nearly  all  the  old  walls  near  the  Rhine  were 

* The  mortar  was  here  generally  good,  for  in  the  olden  time, 
when  wood  was  abundant,  it  was  customary  to  burn  the  chalk  or 
limestone  on  the  building  ground ; to  use  river-gravel  as  sand,  or, 
in  the  absence  of  that,  to  improve  bad  sand  by  the  addition  of  broken 
tiles.  But,  in  old  wall-  york  bad  mortar  is  by  no  means  rare. 


150  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


constructed  after  this  method;  as  may  be  seen  in  nu- 
merous ruined  castles.  Roman  walls  are  generally  to  be 
recognized  thus : — between  the  layers  of  quarried  stone 
there  extend  at  intervals  ( von  strecke  %u  strecke)  double, 
and  sometimes  quadruple,  layers  of  bricks,  which,  like 
the  Roman  tiles,  are  easily  distinguishable  from  modern 
ones,  by  their  close  fine  grain,  and  their  deep  red  colour. 
Erroneous,  likewise,  is  the  opinion  that  near  the  Rhine, 
or  in  the  Rhenish  provinces  especially,  a large  number  of 
Roman  monuments  still  exist.  We  must,  indeed,  except 
those  well-known  remains  at  and  near  Treves,  which  un- 
doubtedly owe  their  origin  to  the  time  of  Constantine. 
Only  a few  remains  of  this  kind  at  present  exist  upon 
the  earth ; many  there  certainly  are  beneath  its  sur- 
face, as  appears  from  the  results  of  almost  all  extensive 
excavations,  which  bring  to  light  Roman  tiles,  grave- 
stones, funeral  urns,  & c.  A few  remains  of  Roman 
roads,  as  also  of  an  over-arched  canal  between  Treves 
and  Cologne,  also  exist.  An  excellent  account  of  these 
roads,  accompanied  by  a map,  may  be  found  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  Berlin  Society  of  Arts  (in  den 
Verhandlungen  des  Gewerbevereins  %u  Berlin ,)  for  the 
year  1832.  The  information  here  given  is  extracted  from 
the  original  account  by  Major  Schmidt,  who  has  promised 
to  give  a complete  work  on  the  subject.  Equally  rare 
are  the  monuments  of  the  Carlovingian  time;  and 
we  can  refer  to  none  except  to  the  old  portions  of  the 
Cathedral  at  Aix  la  Chapelle,  the  portico  of  the  monas- 
tery formerly  existing  at  Lorsch,  and  some  mutilated 
columns  from  the  palace  of  Charlemagne  at  Ingelheim. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS* 


151 


Far  richer  is  our  country  in  specimens  which  date  from 
the  year  1000;  and  perhaps  no  other  land  possesses  such 
splendid  examples. 

Page  9.  The  Cathedral,  six  times  injured,  more 
or  less,  by  fire,  but  after  each  burning  restored  or  en- 
larged in  the  style  of  the  time,  is,  on  this  account,  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  buildings  in  the  history  of  art. 
The  recent  history  and  description  of  this  structure,  by 
J.  Wetter,  contains  so  much  valuable  and  novel  infor- 
mation respecting  it,  as  well  as  other  buildings,  that  no 
lover  of  old  architecture  should  pass  it  by  unread ; we 
need  not,  therefore,  add  much  on  the  subject  here.  The 
eastern  choir,  the  door  of  which  has  been  already  given 
by  Moller,  in  his  Denkmaehler,  belongs  doubtless  to  the 
original  building  which  Archbishop  Willigis  began  in 
the  year  978,  and  consecrated  in  1009,  and  which  was 
burnt  down  on  the  very  day  of  its  consecration.  The 
two  eastern  towers,  and  the  contiguous  portion  of  the 
nave,  are  said  to  belong  to  the  building  which  was  begun 
immediately  afterwards,  but  not  finished  till  1037.  In 
the  year  1137  the  church  was  again  consumed  by  fire, 
and  yet  again  in  11 91;  after  which  the  walls  of  the  nave 
and  its  arches  were  restored;  and  these  already  afford 
symptoms  of  the  pointed  arch.  It  may  be  seen  in  a 
more  improved  and  extended  form  in  the  western  choir 
and  transept,  begun  in  1200,  and  finished  1239.  The 
enlargement  of  the  Cathedral  by  the  addition  of  side 
chapels,  bears  a later  date — about  1260 ; those  on  the 
northern  side  were  finished  about  1291,  and  on  the 
southern  side  about  1332.  A cloister  ( kreuzgang ) was 
already  in  1243  built  and  consecrated  by  Archbishop 


1 52  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


Siegfried,  but  the  present  one  was  built  by  Archbishop 
Conrad,  between  1397  and  1412 ; to  which  also  belongs 
the  beautiful  door,  (also  given  by  Moller,  plate  54). 
A more  ancient  one  near  this,  in  the  adjoining  Chapter- 
house,  belongs  most  likely  to  the  restoration  which  suc- 
ceeded the  conflagration^  in  1191.  In  1756  another  fire 
destroyed  the  roof  of  the  principal  tower,  (the  western,) 
including  all  the  smaller  towers ; after  which  they  were 
all,  as  well  as  the  whole  of  the  west  end,  furnished  with 
fire-proof  roofs  of  stone,  the  construction  of  which  is 
peculiarly  interesting  to  architects.  During  the  siege  in 
1793  a sixth  fire  consumed  every  combustible  substance 
throughout  the  building : it  was  then  furnished  with  a 
wretched  temporary  roof  of  planks,  and  during  ten  years 
it  was  used  as  a magazine.  Attempts  were  then  made 
to  level  the  whole  of  it.  In  answer  to  an  application 
made  by  the  Bishop,  Napoleon,  in  1803,  ordered  the 
restoration  of  the  Cathedral,  and  the  next  year  assigned 
to  it  the  annual  revenue  of  12,000  francs;  besides  which 
he  contributed  6000  francs  towards  the  building  expenses, 
and  he  also  gave  three  large  cannons  to  be  cast  into  four 
new  bells.  From  this  time,  and  according  as  means 
would  allow,  much  diligence  has  been  used  in  the  re- 
storation of  the  building;  and  especially  since  Mentz 
has  been  added  to  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Hesse,  the  di- 
rection of  the  works  has  been  assigned  to  the  chief 
architect  Moller,  whose  correct  knowledge  and  judgment 
of  the  architecture  of  the  middle  ages  no  one  can  gainsay. 
To  him  alone  do  we  owe  the  ingenious  and  singular 
construction  of  the  iron  cupola.  Moreover,  the  whole 
restoration  may  be  truly  estimated  as  the  best  of  its 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


153 


kind,  and  the  interior  of  the  Cathedral  produces  a very 
agreeable  impression  on  the  mind. 

Lastly,  very  remarkable  is  the  double  chapel  of  St 
Gothard,  situated  at  the  end  of  the  north-western  tran- 
sept. It  was  built  between  1135  and  1136,  and  is  there- 
fore of  especial  value,  as  illustrating  the  style  of  that 
time.  It  is  indeed  to  be  lamented  that  a Christian 
Church  government,  instead  of  keeping  it  in  proper 
repair,  should,  for  the  sake  of  a paltry  rent  of  a few 
dollars,  allow  it  to  be  used  as  a leather  warehouse. 

St  Stephen’s,  originally  built  entirely  of  wood  by 
Archbishop  Willigis  (1011),  was  afterwards  destroyed, 
and  the  present  remarkably  beautiful  church,  with 
three  naves  of  almost  equal  height,  (an  uncommon 
occurrence  on  the  Rhine),  was  begun  in  1317.  The 
adjoining  cloister,  originating  perhaps  about  the  middle 
of  the  fifteenth  century,  has  elegant  arches  with 
pendent  key-stones;  an  uncommon  circumstance  here- 
abouts. 

St  Quintin  is  nearly  coeval  with  St  Stephen,  as 
also  is  St  Emmeran  with  the  cloister  above  mentioned. 
The  church  dedicated  to  St  Peter,  belonging  to  the 
middle  of  the  last  century,  is  peculiarly  remarkable  on 
account  of  the  noble  proportions  displayed  in  its  interior, 
(notwithstanding  the  detestable  style  which  prevailed  at 
that  period),  as  also  for  the  boldness  of  its  construction. 
It  also  has  three  naves  of  almost  equal  height : — the 
middle  one  36  feet  broad  in  the  clear,  and  65  feet  high  ; 
the  side  aisles  14  feet  broad,  from  which  the  middle  nave 
is  separated  by  slender,  square,  mishapen  pillars,  20  feet 
apart  ; the  whole  surmounted  by  massive  vaulting  8 or 


154  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


9 inches  thick,  of  tufa,  between  walls  of  only  4 feet 
thickness,  and  not  supported  by  buttresses*. 

Page  9.  The  library  in  Mentz  is  rich  in  stone 
monuments  of  the  Roman  and  of  the  middle  ages.  Espe- 
cially remarkable  are  some  capitals  from  the  palace  of 
Charlemagne  at  Ingelheim.  (Another  capital  lies  in  the 
court-yard  of  the  post-house  there).  These  capitals,  as 
also  some  capitals  of  pilasters  at  the  Cathedral  of  Aix 
la  Chapelle,  and  the  well-known  portico  at  Lorsch,  given 
by  Moller  in  his  German  Monuments , prove  suffi- 
ciently that  at  that  time  buildings  were  erected  entirely 
in  the  Roman  style,  and  not  in  the  so-called  Byzantine 


* The  dimensions  here  and  hereafter  employed  are  according 
to  the  Rhenish  standard  measure:  therefore  every  foot  is  equal  to 
139.13  Parisian  lines,  such  being  in  1816  received  by  all  Prussia 
as  the  standard  for  the  measurement  of  land.  During  several  years,  in 
which  the  author  has  been  engaged  in  the  measurement  of  numerous 
old  buildings,  he  has  frequently  remarked  that  their  dimensions  must 
have  been  regulated  by  the  length  of  this  foot,  since  they  all  consist 
of  round  numbers.  This  was  the  more  surprising  to  him,  because, 
with  the  exception  of  Brandenburg,  Denmark,  and  Leyden,  this 
standard  was  not  in  use  either  on  the  Rhine,  or  anywhere  else,  and 
everywhere  on  the  Rhine  the  length  of  the  foot  fluctuated  between 
127  and  129  Parisian  lines.  He  was  still  more  surprised  at  the  dis- 
covery recently  made  by  him,  that  even  the  Roman  monuments  at 
Treves  display  the  same  phenomenon,  although  it  is  known  that  the 
old  Roman  foot  was  equivalent  to  from  130  to  132  Parisian  lines. 
Should  this  mysterious  Rhenish  foot,  adopted  by  the  Romans,  and  by 
the  architects  of  so  many  later  works  (as  for  example  the  churches 
of  St  Castor,  Florian,  and  the  J esuits,  at  Coblentz ; the  church  at 
Limburg  on  the  Hardt,  belonging  to  the  year  1030 ; the  castle  at 
Heidelburg,  and  numerous  others,)  but  which  foot  was  however  lost 
at  some  unknown  and  distant  period ; — should  this  foot  be  the  mea- 
sure of  the  ancient  Greeks,  which,  according  to  Eytelwein,  (Mea- 
sures and  Weights,  Berlin,  1810,)  contained  from  136  to  142  lines, 
it  becomes  therefore  equivalent  to  ours  of  139.13,  and  the  buildings 
at  Treves,  belonging  to  the  age  of  Constantine,  may  probably  have 
been  built  by  Greek  architects. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


155 


style.  In  the  court-yard  of  the  library  are  also  some 
sculptures  worthy  of  notice,  from  the  Merchant’s  Hall 
at  Mentz,  described  by  Moller,  which  has  unfortunately 
been  pulled  down. 

Page  11.  The  Rhine  bridge  was  designed  by  order 
of  Napoleon  ; and  when  the  model  of  a w^ooden  one  (still 
preserved  in  the  Museum)  was  submitted  to  him,  he 
declared  <c  it  shall  not  be  built  of  wood,  but  entirely  of 
stone: — we  want  not  a bridge  of  matches,  but  a monu- 
ment of  granite.” 

It  is  desirable  that  the  travelling  Architect  should 
inspect  the  Protestant  Church  and  the  new  Austrian 
barracks  at  Castel.  He  should  also  visit  the  ruins  of 
the  new  church,  fallen  down,  and  the  Kursaal  at  Wies- 
baden, and  return  by  Bieberich,  where  he  will  find  the 
castle  and  garden  worthy  of  notice;  the  latter  contain- 
ing a modern  antique  castle,  and  some  very  pretty  little 
bridges. 

Ingelheim. — - Page  18.  Even  under  the  Merovin- 
gian dynasty  palaces  were  erected  at  Strasburg,  Spires, 
Worms,  Mentz,  Andernach,  and  Aix  la  Chapelle.  The 
father  and  grandfather  of  Charlemagne  built  some  of 
them  near  the  river  Maas  at  Heristall  and  Jopile;  the 
grandfather  of  Charlemagne  built  that  at  Nimeguen, 
and  also  the  one  here,  (apparently  about  the  year  770), 
which  he  generally  inhabited. 

Ermoldus  Nigellius,  the  contemporary  biographer  of 
Louis  the  Pious,  sings  its  magnificence*,  and  describes 

* Est  locus  ille  situs  rapidi  prope  flumina  Rlieni, 

Ornatus  variis  cultibus  et  dapibus; 

Quo  domus  alta  patet  centum  perfixa  columnis, 

Quo  reditus  varii,  tectaque  multimoda 


156  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


the  series  of  pictures  in  the  palace,  which  begin  with  the 
creation  of  the  world,  and  end  with  the  ascension  of  the 
Redeemer;  they  also  include  mythological  subjects,  and 
the  deeds  of  Charlemagne.  He  also  describes  the  pic- 
tures in  the  Church  there — the  subjects  on  the  right 
side  being  taken  from  the  Old  Testament,  and  on  the 
left  side  from  the  New.  There  is  still  extant  a letter  of 
Pope  Hadrian,  of  the  year  784,  acceding  to  the  request 
of  the  Emperor  to  part  with  certain  works  in  mosaic, 
marble,  &c.,  from  his  palace  at  Ravenna.  The  succeed- 
ing Emperor  lived  generally  here  till  towards  the  year 
1000.  Then  the  building  gradually  decayed,  until  the 
Emperor  Frederick  Barbarossa  restored  it.  To  him  is 
most  probably  due  the  church  renovated  by  the  Em- 
peror Charles  IV.  in  1347,  who  also  founded  some  pre- 
bendaries. This  Church  in  1766*  stood  in  ruins*.  Still 

Mille  aditus,  reditus,  millena  claustra  domoram 
Arte  magistrorum  artificumque  manu. 

Templa  Dei  summo  constant  operata  metallo, 

Areati  postes,  aurea  ostiola 

Inclita  gesta  Dei,  series  memoranda  virorum 
Pictura  insigni,  quo  relegente  patent. 

The  anonymous  Saxon  poet,  who  lived  under  the  Emperor  Ar- 
sulph,  says  in  his  Life  of  Charlemagne, 

Ingeleriheim  dictus  locus  est  ubi  condidit  aulam 
iEtas  cui  vidit  nostra  parem  minime. 

Ad  quse  marmoreas  praestabat  Roma  coluinnas 
Qusedam  prtecipuas  pulchra  Ravenne  dedit. 

* The  first  volume  of  the  Acta  Academiae  Palatinae  contains  a 
carefully  written  detail  of  all  that  is  known  respecting  this  palace, 
with  views  of  the  scanty  remains  of  walls  belonging  to  the  same, 
as  well  as  of  the  church  mentioned  in  the  text,  and  of  a tomb  erected 
therein  representing  a crowned  female  figure,  supposed  to  be  the 
effigy  of  one  of  the  four  wives  of  Charlemagne ; but  the  decorations, 
which  are  in  the  pointed  style,  evidently  refer  it  to  a later  time, 
probably  to  that  of  the  restoration  mentioned  in  the  text. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


157 


more  recently  it  was  converted  into  a Protestant  Church, 
but  the  old  choir  and  transept  are  still  shown.  The 
Palace  itself  was  burnt  down  in  1270  by  the  Emperor 
Richard,  but  a strong  castle  was  still  here  in  1504,  when, 
being  besieged  without  effect,  the  city  was  burnt.  At 
present  no  part  of  the  palace  remains  except  the  church 
and  the  above-mentioned  capital  in  the  court  of  the  post- 
house.  The  columns  near  the  brook  at  the  castle  of 
Heidelburg,  (the  German  Alhambra,)  said  to  be  derived 
from  hence,  do  not  however  consist  of  foreign  granite, 
but,  like  the  Devil’s  Pillar  before  the  cathedral  in  Treves, 
and  all  those  known  to  the  author  in  this  country,  are 
from  the  well-known  quarry  in  the  Odenwald,  where  lies 
also  the  little  Giant  Pillar. 

Kidrich  and  Erbach. — Page  24.  Admirers  of  old 
architecture  ought  to  visit  both  places.  The  church  at 
Kidrich*  is  an  excellent  and  complete  specimen  of  the 
style  which  prevailed  towards  the  end  of  the  fifteenth 
century : also  the  somewhat  older  chapel  there,  with  an 
ingenious  staircase,  and  a 66  steinhelm,”  that  is,  a stone 
cupola,  belonging  to  the  best  of  its  kind.  In  the  cathe- 
dral at  Mentz,  the  styles  of  several  centuries  are  united 
in  one  and  the  same  building,  the  exterior  effect  of  which 
is  by  no  means  agreeable ; at  Erbach,  on  the  other  hand, 
those  various  styles  are  to  be  seen  in  single  buildings, 
of  which  each  example  is  a distinguished  one.  First, 
there  is  the  old  church  with  three  naves  under  one  roof, 
and  very  slender  columns,  apparently  belonging  to  the 

* The  pulpit  belongs  to  the  year  1491;  the  benches  to  1510, 
and  were  made  by  Erhard  Sallkener,  of  Abensperrek,  who  made 
similar  ones  for  Ganodernheim. 


158  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


time  of  its  foundation  in  the  year  1131;  the  vaulting  only 
belonging  to  a later  period.  Then  there  is  the  old 
dormitory,  unfortunately  partitioned  by  many  walls.  Also 
the  more  recently  consecrated  church  of  1186;  the  later 
dormitory  built  sometime  between  1300  and  1400.  Finally, 
the  chapter-house,  at  present  used  as  a wood-house, 
certainly  belonging  to  between  1400  and  1500.  Very 
remarkable,  nay,  perhaps  peculiar  to  this  place,  is  the 
arrangement  of  the  columns  in  that  more  recent  dor- 
mitory (the  dimensions  of  which  are  232  feet  by  42  feet 
in  the  clear).  From  short,  strong,  round  columns,  with 
manifold  capitals,  spring  high  pointed  arch  vaults  20  feet 
wide : every  one  of  the  pillars,  of  which  there  are  ten  in 
a row,  exceeds  the  preceding  one  in  height : the  first  is 
5 ft.  Sin.  in  height  and  the  last  6 ft.  5 in.,  so  that  if  you 
stand  near  this  last,  the  diminishing  of  the  rest,  which 
perspective  causes,  is  increased,  and  consequently  the  whole 
space  appears  longer ; but  if  you  stand  at  the  other  end, 
the  columns  all  appear  of  the  same  height.  Underneath 
is  a cellar  of  equal  beauty,  containing  some  of  the  best 
wines  of  Germany,  of  which  the  most  excellent  are  per- 
haps the  finest  in  the  world ; they  grow  in  the  Steinberg 
situated  close  by,  where  100  acres  of  vineyard,  inclosed 
by  a wall,  are  cultivated  with  the  greatest  care.  The 
united  cloister  buildings  are  used  as  a Bedlam  and  House 
of  Correction  for  the  Duchy  of  Nassau,  both  of  which 
belong  to  the  best  of  their  kind. 

Mittelheim  and  Joiiannisberg. — Page  23.  The 
churches  there  have  both  three  naves,  the  middle  nave 
supported  by  single  pillars,  with  a transept,  and  a ceiling 
of  wood,  and  terminating  in  a choir  and  two  side  niches. 


HE  MARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


159 


The  latter  has  been,  alas  ! modernized  both  within  and 
without.  That  at  Mittelheim,  on  the  contrary,  remains 
almost  entirely  unchanged.  A low  tower  stands  over  the 
intersection  of  the  nave  and  transept : the  porch  is  most 
simple:  its  vaulting,  according  to  the  Roman  manner,  is 
of  stones  alternately  of  different  colours.  It  was  built 
about  1140,  and  the  church  at  Johannisberg  perhaps 
somewhat  earlier,  since  as  early  as  1106  Archbishop 
Ruthard  of  Mentz  founded  a monastery  here,  under  the 
name  of  Bishopsberg,  intended  as  an  atonement  for  a 
murder  committed  by  one  of  his  relations  on  a Jew. 
In  1130  Archbishop  Adelbert  converted  it  into  an  abbey, 
and  mentions  the  consecration  of  the  church  as  having 
been  performed. 

Eibingen. — Page  26.  A beautiful  baptismal  font, 
belonging  to  the  fifteenth  century,  has  been  taken  from 
the  old  church  and  placed  in  the  new  one. 

Rudesheim Page  29.  The  churches  here,  like 

most  of  those  in  the  Rhenish  provinces  ( Rheingau ),  be- 
long to  the  fifteenth  century,  and  are  more  or  less  elegant 
and  worthy  of  notice.  The  vaulting  of  this  church  is 
especially  well  adapted  to  illustrate  the  system  by  which 
these  old  light  church  vaults  were  constructed  merely 
by  hand  ( aus  freier  hand),  i.  e.  simply  by  means  of 
supporting  ribs  ( Graten ),  according  to  a very  ingenious 
method  which  the  author  was  so  fortunate  as  to  re- 
discover, and  of  which  he  had  an  opportunity  of  proving 
the  applicability  in  the  erection  of  several  ecclesiastical 
structures  in  Treis,  Cobern,  and  Valwig,  and  which  he 
afterwards  described  in  detail  in  the  fourth  part  of  CrelFs 
Architectural  Journal,  which  account  was  copied  in  the 


160  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


Journal  du  Genie  civil  (Paris  1831),  as  also  in  the  Journal 
of  the  Royal  Institution  (London  1831.) 

The  Niederburg  is  among  the  most  remarkable  of 
all  monuments.  It  was  evidently  a castle,  and  indeed 
one  of  the  largest,  composed  of  three  vaulted  stories. 
The  exterior  of  the  gable  walls  near  the  open  corner 
bear  evident  traces  that  at  the  time  of  their  erection  an 
older  building  stood  here,  against  which  the  new  one 
was  built.  The  whole  forms  a quadrangle,  of  105  feet 
long  by  83  feet  broad,  and  rather  more  than  60  feet 
high,  enclosing  a narrow  inner  court-yard.  One  angle, 
formed  by  two  lines  of  35  feet  and  28  feet,  constituting 
the  space  occupied  by  the  older  building,  is  wanting.  In 
the  time  of  Merian  (about  1640)  it  was  in  existence,  as 
also  a small  tower  upon  the  more  recent  building.  The 
basement  contains  small  vaulted  rooms  enclosed  by  strong 
walls  from  8 to  14  feet  in  thickness,  built  of  hard  grey- 
wacke  with  rubble  work  between  regular  horizontal 
external  sides,  of  which  the  greater  part  on  the  western 
side  has  become  loosened.  Very  narrow  steps  conduct 
to  both  the  upper  stories,  where  we  find  the  inner  rooms 
larger,  and  even  two  side  saloons,  or  rather  halls,  of  about 
80  feet  in  mean  length  and  14  feet  breadth,  and  from  14 
to  17  feet  high,  with  a stone  seat  projecting  from  the 
masonry,  extending  along  both  sides.  Every  thing  is 
vaulted,  and  indeed  in  both  the  under  stories  with  cylin- 
drical vaults,  and  in  the  upper  one  with  very  peculiar 
cross-vaults  between  projecting  transverse  ribs : the  dia- 
gonal ribs  as  well  as  the  side  walls  ( ' schildmauern ) and 
transverse  ribs  present  half  circles,  which  were  covered 
in  with  straight  boards,  and  upon  these  the  vaulting 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


161 


(Kappen)  was  laid.  The  crown  lines  are  therefore  not 
horizontal,  but  inclining  upwards  from  all  sides  in  a very 
marked  manner  to  the  middle ; a form  which  adds  consi- 
derably to  the  strength  of  such  arches,  and  divides  more 
equally  their  thrust  on  the  outer  walls.  On  the  Rhine  side 
are  still  displayed  some  traces  of  a parapet  (mauer-kro- 
nung),with  small  arches  which  apparently  bore  battlements. 
The  few  windows  are  narrow,  low,  closed  with  arches, 
and  near  the  inner  court-yard  for  the  most  part  coupled. 
At  the  erection  of  the  building  two  chimneys  were  let 
into  the  wall  of  the  saloons : these  rest  upon  pillars,  the 
feet  of  which  already  afford  examples  of  profiled  corner 
leaves,  which  about  the  year  1050  only  occur  near  the 
Rhine  as  shapeless  masses,  so  that  the  building  may 
rather  be  said  to  have  originated  between  1050  and  1100, 
especially  as  the  cross  vaults  before  described,  occur  at 
a later  period. 

Bingen. — Page  3*J.  The  ruined  fort  Klopp  has 

no  more  pretensions  to  be  a Roman  castle  than  the  pre- 
ceding. This  ruin  is  of  very  little  extent..  The  bridge 
was  built  by  Archbishop  Willigis  (who  d.  101 1),  but  has 
been  several  times  restored.  The  baptismal  font  in  the 
parish  church,  which  was  built  after  the  great  fire  of  1403, 
belongs  also  to  a later  time.  This  church,  like  that  at 
Lorch  and  the  church  of  the  Carmelites  at  Boppard,  was 
enlarged  about  the  year  1500  by  the  addition  of  a side 
aisle,  whilst  they  opened  the  walls  between  the  buttresses, 
and  allowed  these  to  stand  as  pillars.  The  additional 
side  nave  is  double,  that  is,  it  is  separated  by  means  of 
a row  of  slender  columns  into  two  rows  of  elegant  vault- 
ing, with  complicated  net-work  of  ribs.  On  the  west 
12 


162  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


and  south  doors  are  raised  pannels,  with  beautiful  sculp- 
tures. Of  the  church  at  Ruprechtsberg,  built  about 
1140,  the  only  remains  are  the  fundamental  parts  of  the 
choir-niches,  and  the  lower  part  of  the  southern  tower. 
These,  on  account  of  their  simplicity,  are  worthy  of 
notice.  In  1 632  the  monastery  was  burnt  down  by  the 
Swedes : as  represented  by  Merian  it  appears  to  have 
been  a fine  ruin.  It  was  levelled  in  1800.  About  half 
an  hour’s  walk  up  the  Nahe  to  Munster  will  bring  you 
to  a small  church  with  sharp  pointed  arches,  a stone- 
roofed  tower,  and  some  well-executed  paintings  on  glass. 
Still  further  up  the  river,  near  Bretzenheim,  are  some 
curious  remains  of  a church  which  was  sold  during  the 
last  year.  This  church  is  scooped  in  the  sandstone  rock, 
in  which  also  are  excavated  some  hermits’  cells. 

Ehrenfels. — -Page  45.  Was  built  by  the  Vice- 
gerent of  Mentz,  Philip  von  Bolanden,  under  Archbishop 
Siegfried,  and  in  1228  resigned  to  the  church  by  the 
widow  of  the  builder. 

Vautsberg Page  49.  Properly  Faizberg.  Ori- 

ginally only  an  unimportant  two-storied  building,  40  feet 
long,  20  feet  deep  in  the  clear,  with  four  rooms;  this 
would,  of  course,  be  unfit  for  the  abode  of  a prince, 
if  restored  according  to  the  old  plan.  The  author  of 
these  remarks  furnished  two  new  plans,  according  to  the 
larger  of  which  a knightly  hall  was  proposed  to  be  built : 
the  smaller  plan  was  however  accepted ; according  to 
which  the  house  was  arranged  as  it  now  stands,  and  the 
projecting  round  tower  at  the  side  was  put  in  the 
place  of  an  old  gable,  the  remnant  of  an  old  wooden 
building  on  the  present  terrace.  The  execution  of  the 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


163 


work  proceeded  under  the  author’s  directions  up  to  the 
roofing  in  : he  has  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  internal 
decorations,  the  battlements  of  the  new  tower,  the  porter’s 
lodge,  and  the  drawbridge. 

St  Clement’s  Church. — Page  50.  This  is  by  no 
means  uninteresting.  It  is  also  a subject  for  congratula- 
tion that  it  has  been  again  completely  restored  through 
the  piety  of  the  princess  Friedrica,  the  noble  and  revered 
spouse  of  the  illustrious  possessor  of  Rheinstein. 

Oberdiebach. — Page  57-  The  neat  church  there 
contains  a pulpit  made  of  wrought  iron. 

Bacharach.- — Page  59.  There  was  certainly  till 
very  lately  an  altar  to  Bacchus  here;  but  it  was  not 
that  rock  in  the  Rhine,  but  a company  of  topers  called 
the  Brother  Tipplers.  They  possessed  some  vineyards, 
elected  a president,  and  every  year  feasted  away  the  pro- 
duce of  their  property.  Their  amended  statutes  of  the 
year  1550  still  exist.  Three  similar  institutions *Hvere 
existing  in  the  neighbouring  Steeg.  Fishing  also  appears 
to  have  been  celebrated  here  in  the  olden  times ; for  so 
early  as  871  the  privilege  of  fishing  was  already  granted 
by  king  Lewis  to  the  abbey  Prum.  The  ruins  of  St 
Werner’s  Church  are  most  elegant.  This  church  con- 
sisted properly  of  only  a triple  choir  without  any  nave, 
on  the  place  of  which  the  older  chapel  appears  to  have 
stood,  and  was  apparently  enlarged  by  the  addition  of 
these  cloisters  after  the  canonization  of  the  bones  of  St 
Werner*,  in  the  year  1428.  The  profiles  of  the  windows 

'•  The  chronicle  relates  of  him  how  he,  a poor  boy  of  Wamrodd, 
being  taken  by  the  Jews  at  Oberwesel,  1285,  suffered  martyrdom 
at  their  hands:  and  how  the  body  was  ordered  to  be  conveyed  to  Mentz, 

but 


164  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


and  arches  are  wondrously  beautiful.  It  appears  still 
complete  in  the  view  of  the  siege  by  Stahleck,  engraved 
in  Merian’s  work.  The  parish-church  was  perhaps  built 
about  1200.  It  contains  much  that  is  remarkable  and 
beautiful : such,  for  example  as  the  elongated  key-stones 
of  the  vaults  and  the  south  porch. 

The  Pfalz  in  the  Rhine Page  61.  Its  in- 

terior is  altogether  unimportant.  It  doubtless  owes  its 
origin  to  the  Emperor  Louis  of  Bavaria,  inasmuch  as  the 
Bull  of  Pope  John  XXII.  of  the  year  1326,  plainly  says: 
quod  Ludovicus  olim  Dux  B avarice  suos  enormes  et 
detestandos  eoccessus , quorum  occasione  per  diversos  pro- 
cessus nostros  diversis  temporibus  de  fratrum  nostrorum 
consilio , presente  multitudine  copiosa  Jidelium  habitos 
excommunicationis  vinculo  innodatus — does  not  cease 
to  levy  heavy  duties  at  Kuve  (Caub)  on  goods  carried 
through  that  place,  and  moreover  had  built  for  that 
purpose  turrim  fortissimam  on  an  island  in  the  Rhine. 
(Gunther,  Cod.  Diplom.)  The  present  roofing  of  this 
tower,  as  also  that  of  the  other  buildings,  is  very  offensive, 
and  it  is  very  much  to  be  desired  that  all  the  roofs  should 
be  turned  inwards,  and  the  old  battlemented  parapets  re- 
stored to  the  walls  and  towers,  which  might  be  done  at  a 
very  moderate  expense,  and  the  consequence  would  be 

but  when  the  boat  had  reached  Bacharach,  it  remained  immoveable 
in  spite  of  all  the  exertions  of  the  rowers,  (at  the  spot  where  in  later 
times  the  cloister  of  Windesbach  was  erected,  of  which  the  church 
was  destroyed  even  to  the  very  walls:  it  stood  at  the  upper  part 
of  Bacharach,  near  the  highway.)  The  Jews  were  therefore  com- 
pelled to  conceal  the  body  on  the  shore.  It  was  discovered  here, 
placed  in  the  church  of  St  Guibertus,  the  present  parish-church,  and 
having  displayed  miraculous  power,  it  was  placed  in  a chapel  built  on 
purpose  for  its  reception. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


165 


that  the  whole  would  present  the  aspect  ot  a most  noble 
and  picturesque  fort. 

Oberwesel Page  56.  The  scanty  remains  of  the 

insignificant  town-hall  have  disappeared  many  years  since, 
but  all  the  four  churches  are  worth  seeing.  The  tower  of 
the  very  admirable  collegiate-church,  that  of  St  Martin’s 
church,  and  also  that  of  the  parish-church  at  Bacharach, 
remind  us  by  their  numerous  pinnacles  of  the  well-known 
style  of  the  English  churches.  The  high  altar,  consecrated 
together  with  the  church  in  1331,  several  monuments  and 
other  images,  are  equally  remarkable.  The  gallery  be- 
tween the  choir  and  the  nave,  called  a Lettner  (Rood- 
loft),  is  the  only  one  in  this  country  which,  so  far  as  the 
author  knows,  has  continued  to  the  present  time*.  The 
foliage  of  the  capitals  belongs  to  the  best  of  its  kind  ; 
also  some  parts  of  the  stalls,  as  also  both  portals,  of  which 
the  western  still  retains  the  doors  originally  richly  de- 
corated with  iron-work.  All  this  is  remarkably  beautiful; 
and  we  may  reckon  as  peculiar  the  vaulting  of  the 
cloister,  as  is  also  an  enlargement  of  the  middle  nave 
by  full  three  feet  towards  the  east,  and  of  the  side  aisles 
towards  the  west.  The  buttresses  of  the  nave  of  the 
church,  like  those  of  the  church  at  Simmern,  stand 
within.  The  ruins  of  the  Franciscan  church  display  an 
uncommon  construction.  A secondary  nave  has  been 
added,  and  is  separated  from  the  principal  nave  by  pillars 
placed  diagonally.  The  mutilated  Franciscan  church  at 
Coblentz,  and  the  one  at  Andernach,  which  since  the 
year  1816  has  been  used  as  a stable,  have  the  same  con- 
struction. Lastly,  we  may  mention  as  worthy  of  attention 

* There  was  one  also  at  Sobernheim,  but  it  was  pulled  down 
some  years  ago. 


166  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


St  Werner’s  and  St  Martin’s  churches  (the  latter  in  1333 
was  raised  to  a collegiate  establishment) ; the  solitary  old 
gate  near  the  cathedral  church,  and  the  lofty  tower  at 
the  lower  end  of  the  town. 

Saint  Goar. — Page  73.  The  arched  tomb  or  crypt 
under  the  cathedral-church,  where  formerly  reposed  the 
bones  of  St  Goar,  is  certainly  not  the  original  one.  This 
saint,  born  in  Aquitania,  first  resided  as  a hermit  near 
the  Lahn,  afterwards  in  a cave  near  St  Goar,  until  on 
the  site  of  the  present  church  he  built  a cell  and  a little 
chapel,  and  died  in  647  (some  say  so  early  as  57 5)  ; after 
which  the  pilgrimages  to  his  wonder-working  grave  raised 
the  cell  into  great  repute,  and  also  gave  an  origin  and  a 
name  to  the  town.  Bertradana,  wife  of  king  Pepin,  was 
on  one  occasion  proceeding  from  the  cloister  of  Priim 
(endowed  by  her  grandmother  Bertrada)  up  the  Rhine 
in  the  direction  of  Worms,  and  being  dissatisfied  with 
the  hospitality  of  the  cell  of  St  Goar,  then  placed  under 
the  management  of  one  Erping,  complained  thereof  to 
her  husband.  The  king,  displeased  that  hospitality 
should  be  forgotten  in  the  very  place  where  the  Saint 
encouraged  it  so  well,  immediately  presented  the  cell  to 
the  abbot  Asverus  of  Priim,  who  commenced  the  building 
of  a new  church,  which,  however,  was  not  completed  until 
the  time  of  Charlemagne.  It  was  consecrated  by  Arch- 
bishop Lullus  of  Mentz  (787).  This  church  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  in  1137.  A third  church  was  afterwards 
erected,  to  which  belongs  the  crypt  under  the  present 
church,  (the  fourth),  which  was  built  between  1441  and 

1469. 

The  fortifications  of  the  Rheinfels  show  some  im- 
provement in  this  art  over  the  older  ones  Some  remains 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


167 


of  old  buildings,  as  well  as  the  castle-chapel,  endowed  in 
1315,  are  also  worth  inspecting. 

Reichenberg. — Page  76.  Built  in  the  year  1284, 
and  certainly  conquered  and  destroyed  by  the  Emperor 
Albert ; but  a new  building  (as  the  Chronicle  says,  in 
the  Asiatic  style,  i.  e.  without  roofs)  was  commenced  in 
1319  with  the  assistance  of  the  Elector  Baldwin  of  Treves, 
and  possessed  by  him  as  a fief.  The  death  of  the  Count 
William,  in  1331,  disappointed  his  plan  of  founding  a 
town  here,  for  which  a license  had  been  granted  by  the 
Emperor  Lewis  in  1324:  this  document  mentions  the 
castle  as  being  already  built,  and  it  was  occupied  till 
recently.  This  ruin  is  as  admirable  as  it  is  peculiar:  a 
portal  in  the  castle-yard  reminds  us  of  the  Moorish  style. 
The  interior  of  a building  closed  in  with  lofty  and  elegant 
pointed  arches,  over  spindle-shaped  columns,  the  enta- 
blatures of  which  are  destroyed,  is  most  picturesque  and 
noble.  The  travelling  architect  may  be  recommended 
to  pay  a visit  to  it,  through  the  Swiss  valley,  as  it  is 
called,  and  to  return  over  Patersberg : it  will  be  seen  at 
Reichenberg  that  it  is  possible,  by  means  of  good  long 
grained  stones,  to  do  without  any  expensive  workmanship. 

Thurnberg. — Page  77-  Commenced  by  Archbishop 
Boemund,  finished  by  his  successor  Cuno  1388,  and  only 
in  later  times  abandoned,  not  destroyed.  Thus  it  would 
be  better  capable  of  being  restored  than  many  other 
forts,  and  at  little  expense,  since  all  the  masonry  is  in 
good  preservation,  and  only  the  wood  work  wanting. 
The  interior  construction  can  be  understood  perfectly, 
even  the  old  chimneys  still  exist,  and  the  former  living 
rooms  are  not  too  small  to  be  occupied. 


168  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


Hirzenach. — Page  79.  A cell  here  was  presented 
by  the  Emperors  Henry  III.  and  IV.  to  the  foundation 
of  St  Martin  in  Worms,  for  the  erection  of  a monastery, 
and  this  gift  was  confirmed  by  Archbishop  Frederick  of 
Cologne  in  1110.  From  this  time  the  church  may  date  its 
origin  as  a basilica,  to  which  was  added  in  1300  a choir 
with  profiles  (profilirungen)  of  a peculiar  and  beautiful 
form.  Of  the  two  small  round  towers  near  it,  the  lower 
part  only  remains.  Their  completion,  which  would  not 
be  very  expensive,  would  make  the  church  one  of  the 
most  elegant. 

Bornhofen.. — Page  82.  The  church  has,  like  those 
at  Clotten,  Kempenich,  and  Namedy,  two  naves  sepa- 
rated by  a row  of  slender  pillars.  The  enlargement  men- 
tioned in  the  Rhein-reise  consists  in  the  addition  of  a 
chapel  and  Portico,  the  latter  of  a remarkably  bold 
construction.  It  is  open  on  three  sides,  two  of  which 
have  one  arched  opening,  and  the  front  sides  three  such: 
these  openings  are  twelve  feet  wide  in  the  clear,  between 
pillars  not  quite  two  feet  thick  and  seven  feet  high, 
standing  upon  a plinth  wall  three  feet  high,  not  braced 
in  any  visible  manner  to  each  other,  or  to  the  back  wall, 
so  that  both  the  corner  pillars  have  to  bear  the  whole 
thrust  of  the  arches  which  abut  upon  them. 

Boppard. — Page  82.  The  old  Kaiserburg  did  not 
stand  upon  the  site  of  the  present  one,  but  at  the  lower 
part  of  the  town.  The  parish-church  was  granted  as  a 
fief  to  the  foundation  of  St  Martin’s  in  Worms.  It  may 
be  possible  that  the  Salic  Henries  built  a church  here, 
but  not  the  present  one,  which  at  all  events  is  much 
more  modern,  nay,  according  to  a manuscript  record. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS 


169 


the  date  of  its  erection  is  1200.  The  choir  may  belong 
to  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century;  it  is  an  excellent 
specimen  of  the  transition  style.  One  may  likewise 
observe  in  the  church  an  older  restoration,  and  to  it 
belongs  most  likely  the  whole  of  the  singular  vaulting, 
a pointed  cylindrical  arch,  with  rolls  set  on  fan  wise  as  ribs. 
The  whole  arrangement  of  the  west  front  appears  pe- 
culiar, as  also  the  arched  cornice  under  the  roof,  but 
still  more  so  the  small  archivolts  placed  upon  corbels 
over  the  lower-windows,  which  may  sometimes  be  seen 
here  over  the  doors  of  the  smaller  country  churches ; but 
are  seen  over  windows  only  in  England,  where  they  are 
called  dripstones . Lastly,  we  find  galleries  (Emporen) 
here  over  the  side  aisles , (also  called  Mannerchore) : — 
they  are  very  rare  in  other  places,  but  common 
enough  in  our  country  *.  The  church  of  the  Carmel- 
ites contained  some  very  fine  painted  glass,  but  it  was 
thrown  away  in  1818.  This  church  has  had  a side  nave 
added  to  it,  as  at  Bingen  and  Lorch ; richly  carved 
choir-seats  and  an  elegant  triple  seat,  decorated  with 
a canopy  situated  near  the  high  altar.  Opposite  to  it  is 
a beautiful  bas-relief  in  marble.  The  Franciscan  church 
was  begun  l62fi,  and  finished  1662. 

Marksburg Page  89-  Nothing  Roman  in  it, 

and  indeed  nothing  of  any  consequence. 

Oberlahnstein. — Page  92.  Opposite  the  west  end 

* For  example:  at  St  Leonard’s  in  Frankfort,  Limburg,  Kide- 
rich,  Bacharach,  St  Goar,  St  John  at  Neiderlahnstein,  Liebfranen 
at  Coblentz,  Ems,  Gals,  Vallendar,  Andernach,  Oberbreisig,  Sinzig, 
Himersheim,  Ahrweiler,  St  Peter,  St  Ursula,  Marie  Lyskirchen  and 
Columba  at  Cologne,  St  Quirin  at  Neuss,  and  lastly,  the  Jesuits’ 
churches  at  Coblentz,  Cologne,  Diisseldorf,  Paderborn  and  Antwerp. 


170  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


of  the  church  is  an  old,  and,  alas!  sadly  injured  bas-relief 
in  the  wall,  which  apparently  stood  over  an  older  door. 
The  inner  court-yard  of  the  castle  is  worth  seeing. 

Konigstahl.— Page  94.  A projecting  seat  ran  round 
seven  sides  of  the  rectangle,  because  we  find  the  entrance 
steps  at  the  eighth.  The  Emperor  Charles  IV.  (1376)  or- 
dered the  citizens  of  Rhens  to  build  it  in  these  words ; — 
“ in  the  garden  and  at  the  town  where  the  electors  some- 
times used  to  meet  to  choose  a Romish  king,  and  to 
transact  their  other  affairs,  there  construct  a seat,  preserve 
it  and  keep  it  for  ever.” 

Stolzenfels. — Page  96.  The  largest  of  all  the 
Rhenish  forts.  It  was  built  by  Archbishop  Arnold, 
with  money  borrowed  from  the  foundation  of  St  Castor 
in  Coblentz.  In  1436  it  became  the  residence  of  the 
discharged  Elector  Ulrich  Von  Manderscheid.  The  so- 
called  Archbishop  Werner  also  had  his  abode  generally 
here*.  From  his  ancestor  Cuno  he  had  inherited  much 
treasure,  but  left  none  to  his  successor.  There  is  a tra- 
dition that  his  treasures  were  buried  here.  Archbishop 
John  (d.  1503)  nevertheless  sought  for  them  in  vain.  As 
the  collected  apartments  which  the  fort  contained  are  still 
plainly  recognizable,  another  proof  is  hereby  afforded  of 
the  confined  nature  of  all  the  princely  dwellings  of  that 
period.  Accordingly,  this  fort  might  in  preference  to 
many  others  be  restored,  that  is,  provided  the  restoration 
be  done  faithfully,  with  no  additions  or  alterations;  nor 
need  it  be  converted  into  a villa,  in  the  style  of  the  middle 

* The  Limburg  Chronicle  says:  “This  Archbishop  Werner  had 
a great  fondness  for  the  castle  ; therefore  the  letters  which  came  from 
thence  to  our  foundation  are  commonly  dated  “ Stolzenfels.” 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


171 


ages,  as  that  near  Rheinstein  necessarily  was ; but  let 
it  be  made  to  reappear  as  it  was  in  olden  time : the 
rooms  are  numerous,  and  also  sufficiently  large  for  the 
purposes  of  a plain  princely  country  dwelling.  Moreover, 
the  renovation  of  the  pinnacles  of  all  the  walls  and  towers, 
in  addition  to  the  very  favourable  environs,  would  alone 
suffice  to  convert  the  whole  into  one  of  the  most  excellent 
of  knightly  forts.  A view  of  Stolzenfels  and  Lahneck 
before  the  spoliation  of  1689  is  to  be  found  in  Matth. 
Merian’s  Topographia  Archiep.  Mogunt.  Published  in 
1646.  Trev.  and  Col.  p.  24. 

The  Church  of  St  John. — Page  99.  The  large 
tower  is  the  older  of  the  two : the  smaller  one  is  built 
inappropriately  upon  three  two-foot  walls,  of  later  date 
than  the  church.  The  building  fell  into  ruins  during 
the  course  of  a lawsuit  (which  lasted  40  years)  insti- 
tuted against  the  possessor  of  the  tithes,  for  refusing  to 
keep  it  in  repair.  Its  choir  is  on  the  outside  enclosed  in 
the  form  of  a square ; within  is  a niche  placed  upon 
projecting  arched  corners.  The  vaulting  of  the  sacristy 
is  remarkable : it  consists  of  an  elliptical  cross  vault,  the 
edges  forming  half  circles,  which  are  produced  in  hori- 
zontal lines  towards  all  four  sides,  and  thus  the  shields 
(spaces  on  the  walls)  become  semi-ellipses.  The  manner 
chors , like  those  in  the  churches  at  Ems  and  Vallendar, 
are  covered  only  by  the  roof.  Their  date  is  unknown, 
but  may  perhaps  be  referred  to  about  1100,  since  it  is 
evident  that  the  little  tower  belongs  to  the  end  of  the 
twelfth  or  to  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century. 

Coblentz. — Page  104.  Apparently  one  of  the  fifty 
castles  which  Drusus  built  near  the  Rhine  about  the 


172  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


year  9 before  Christ.  It  is  mentioned  as  Confluentes 
by  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  Lib.  xvi,  c.  3.  (a  somewhat 
obscure  passage);  it  was  visited  by  Childebert  in  58 5, 
by  Theodorick  in  721,  by  Charlemagne  and  his  son  Lewis 
in  823  and  836,  (the  latter  of  whom  held  conferences  here 
with  his  sons);  and  it  was  visited  Jby  his  sons  in  the 
years  84*2,  848,  and  860.  In  882  the  Normans  came  as 
far  as  the  castle  here,  and  not  farther,  and  here  did 
Charles  the  Stout  discharge  his  army,  after  the  peace 
had  been  agreed  upon.  In  the  year  842  it  was  allotted 
to  Lothringen,  whereupon  it  became  the  property  of 
Germany  and  France  alternately,  until  the  former  re- 
mained in  possession  of  it,  and  the  Emporer  Henry  II. 
by  his  royal  prerogative  presented  it  (1018)  to  Archbishop 
Poppo  of  Treves.  In  the  year  1182  the  citizens  received 
out  of  the  taxes  sixty  marks  for  the  purpose  of  maintain- 
ing the  town-buildings.  In  1249  the  town  was  still 
without  walls : these  were  begun  in  1252  by  Archbishop 
Arnold,  and  in  1254  proceeded  with  by  the  citizens. 
In  1259  the  power  of  levying  taxes  was  granted.  At  last, 
under  Archbishop  Henry  (reg.  1260 — 1286)  the  town  is 
said  to  have  been  entirely  walled  in,  the  expences  of 
whicli  were  met  by  a new  tax  (1276)  confirmed  by  the 
cathedral  authorities  for  six  years,  but  continued  to  be 
levied  for  more  than  twelve  years.  Archbishop  Henry 
commenced  at  the  same  time  the  erection  of  a fort  (the 
present  manufactory  near  the  bridge  of  the  Moselle). 
This  led  to  a riot  (1280);  the  citizens  were  indeed  put 
down,  but  the  case  was  taken  before  chosen  judges, 
when  it  was  decided  that  both  the  Archibishop  and 
citizens  might  continue  their  fortifications.  A similar 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


173 


quarrel  occurred  in  1324  with  the  same  results.  Already 
in  1267  mention  is  made  of  a hospital  outside  the  town. 
In  the  year  1301  the  town  formed  a league  with  Bonn, 
Andernach,  Boppard,  and  Oberwesel,  for  mutual  help;  and 
from  1304  to  1334  similar  leagues  were  carried  into  effect, 
and  again  in  1358  with  Cologne,  Bonn,  Andernach,  and 
Overwesel,  whereby  it  was  agreed  by  Cologne  to  supply  3000 
men  and  100  sharpshooters,  Coblentz  2000,  Andernach  1000, 
Bonn  500,  and  the  latter  towns  to  contribute  100  sharp- 
shooters between  them.  Nevertheless,  strange  to  say,  in 
1366  Coblentz  could  boast  of  no  more  than  658  citizens, 
in  addition  to  63  in  Weiss,  56  in  Lutzel  Coblentz  ( Little 
Coblentz ),  a suburb  formerly  existing  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Moselle  bridge,  and  34  in  Neuendorf.  In 
1459  a female  establishment  in  the  town  was  called  the 
house  of  the  fair  damsels . For  the  support  of  this  house 
the  town  paid  an  annual  tax  of  three  marks  to  the 
foundation  of  St  Castor : it  was  sold  by  the  town  be- 
tween 1570  and  1574,  in  consequence  of  a resolution  of 
the  Council  of  Trent.  In  the  sixteenth  century  the 
town  contained  674  houses  (ecclesiastical  buildings  ex- 
cepted), of  which  22  were  occupied  by  two  families  only, 
but  101  by  widows,  in  Weiss  65,  in  Lutzel  Coblentz  70, 
in  Neuendorf  29-  In  the  year  1632  Coblentz  was  garri- 
soned by  the  Swedes,  and  surrendered  to  the  French.  In 
1636  it  was  besieged  by  the  Bavarian  army  of  the 
Emperor,  and  more  than  half  of  the  houses  destroyed.  (Al- 
ready in  the  war  between  Philip  and  Otho  (1199)  the  town 
had  been  burnt,  and  also  in  1397,  200  houses  were  burnt 
by  a knight  of  Ehrenburg).  It  afterwards  surrendered, 
and  in  all  respects  was  ill  treated  until  1666.  After  this 


174  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 

Archbishop  Charles  Caspar  enlarged  the  Firmungstrasse, 
having  already  in  1663  constructed  a bridge  of  boats 
over  the  Rhine.  In  the  year  1666  the  plague  raged. 
In  1688,  during  a siege  by  the  French,  a third  part  of 
the  town  was  burnt,  together  with  the  whole  of  Liitzel 
Coblentz,  and  the  towers  of  the  church  of  our  Lady 
(Liebfranenkirche).  The  town  was  gradually  restored.  In 
1748  the  parade  was  constructed.  In  1765  the  Duck- 
pond  (Entenpfuhl)  was  built  over.  In  1778  a portion  of 
the  fortifications  demolished,  the  castle  in  the  new  Town 
begun.  In  1787  the  residence  of  the  Elector  and  all  the 
j Dicasterien  were  removed  here  from  Thal-Ehrenbreitstein. 
In  1794  the  French  marched  in,  and  in  1814  the  Russians. 

The  history  of  the  buildings  in  detail  is  as  follows: — • 

The  church  of  St  Castor  was  built  by  Archbishop 
Hetti,  consecrated  in  836,  visited  eight  days  afterwards 
by  the  Emperor  Lewis,  endowed  in  860,  and  in  922 
frequently  used  as  a place  of  assembly  for  the  clergy, 
and  already  in  the  eleventh  century  injured  by  decay 
and  fire.  On  this  account  the  Provost  Bruno,  between 
1157  and  1201,  built  a new  choir;  (to  judge  by  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  interior  and  the  uncommon  thickness  of 
the  walls,  he  built  only  the  outside,  like  a cloak  about 
an  older  apsis),  as  also  both  the  side  towers.  Archbishop 
John  built  the  nave  and  transept,  and  consecrated  the 
church  again  in  1208.  In  later  times  (1498)  the  wooden 
ceiling  of  the  middle  nave  was  superseded  by  a richly 
decorated  arch.  The  whole  church  was  also  on  two 
occasions  restored,  once  in  1785  after  the  great  flood,  and 
again  in  1830  under  the  direction  of  the  Author.  The 
oldest  parts  of  this  church,  which  in  its  principal  features 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


175 


is  so  extremely  beautiful,  are  the  inner  portion  of  the 
choir  and  the  lower  of  the  front  towers;  the  inner 
part  of  the  choir  being  easily  recognized  at  the  point 
where  the  first  pillars  of  the  nave  are  attached.  Even 
these  older  parts  may  perhaps  not  belong  to  the  erection 
of  836,  but  to  a later  unknown  period  (according  to  a 
comparison  of  some  peculiarities  here  with  some  similar 
features  in  the  towers  of  St  Florin,  it  is  likely  to  be 
contemporary  with  this),  but  it  is  evident  that  the  single 
pilaster  capitals  at  the  front  side  of  the  towers  belong 
to  the  structure  of  836,  inasmuch  as  they  do  not  fit  the 
pilasters,  and  are  evidently  taken  from  an  older  building. 

The  ground-plan  is  of  the  best  kind : the  width  of 
the  nave,  and  the  well-assigned  proportions  of  the  ar- 
cades, render  the  interior  really  fine.  It  would  be  still 
more  beautiful  if  the  choir-seats  were  removed  from  the 
transept,  and  this  made  lower  and  combined  with  the 
nave ; indeed,  this  may  almost  be  considered  as  necessary 
in  order  to  gain  the  space  required  for  the  worthy  cele- 
bration of  the  fete  of  the  millenary  jubilee,  appointed 
for  the  next  year  (1836).  In  the  outer  walls  of  the 
sides,  as  at  St  Cunibert’s  in  Cologne,  are  built  flat  niches, 
evidently  on  purpose  to  strengthen  them  by  means  of 
stronger  pillars  between  the  niches.  The  same  object 
was  attained  by  the  method  adopted  at  a later  period, 
although  perhaps  for  a different  purpose,  as  will  be 
shown  hereafter,  by  attaching  buttresses  either  to  the 
outside  or  the  inside.  The  walls  have  nevertheless  fallen 
greatly  out  of  the  perpendicular,  and  the  side  arches 
attached  to  them  are  rent  asunder  in  such  a way  that 
the  original  semicircular  binding  arches  have  become 


176  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


changed  into  flat  arches,  in  consequence  of  the  cracks 
being  repeatedly  filled  up  with  mortar.  This  giving 
way  of  the  side  walls,  which  may  be  frequently  seen  in 
old  buildings,  is  ascribed  most  erroneously  to  the  thrust 
of  the  arches.  This  is  clearly  wrong,  because  small 
slender  arches  have  no  thrust  whatever,  as  is  already 
proved  in  those  cases  where  one  half  of  the  arch  remains 
hanging  to  the  wall ; whereas  if  they  exerted  any  thrust 
they  must  needs  have  fallen  down  as  soon  as  the  head- 
line had  separated.  Now  as  this  has  not  happened,  we 
may  consider  the  segment  of  the  arch  to  form  an  integral 
portion  of  the  wall,  and  its  weight  bearing  inwards  would 
rather  tend  to  bend  the  wall  inwards  than  push  it  out- 
wards. But  as  the  latter  has  occurred  here  as  in  many 
other  places,  the  cause  must  be  sought  for  without 
reference  to  the  arches ; and  it  may  generally  be  ascribed 
to  the  circumstance,  that  means  are  seldom  or  never 
provided  for  allowing  the  water  which  falls  from  the 
roof  to  flow  away.  It  is  pretty  well  known  that  in  a 
dry  season  every  soil  becomes  more  or  less  cracked,  and 
consequently  a crack  is  opened  between  the  ground  and 
the  walls  near  the  ground ; when  wet  comes  the  water 
flows  into  this  crack  and  soaks  into  the  foundation  of 
the  walls  ; the  wall  of  course  sinks  by  its  own  pressure, 
and  the  sinking  of  an  inch  in  this  place  causes  the  top 
of  a wall  twelve  feet  high  to  fall  a full  foot  out  of 
the  perpendicular.  This  circumstance,  so  far  as  the 
Author  knows,  has  never  been  taken  into  consider- 
ation, or  at  least  never  mentioned ; and  he  has  only 
met  with  one  example  in  an  important  church  in  which 
provision  was  made  in  olden  time  for  carrying  off 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


177 


the  water.  This  example  occurs  at  Altenburg  near 
Cologne. 

The  following  objects  in  the  church  are  worthy  of 
notice: — 1.  The  tomb  (modernised,  alas!)  of  St  Ritza, 
according  to  common  report  daughter  of  Louis  the  Pious. 
In  a memorial  of  the  citizens  of  Coblentz,  dated  1265,  to 
the  Pope,  requesting  that  she  might  be  canonized,  it  is 
stated,  that  on  account  of  the  great  length  of  time  which 
had  elapsed  since  her  death,  it  could  only  be  ascertained 
that  she  belonged  to  a royal  or  ducal  family ; whereupon 
Pope  Gregory  X.  granted  permission  to  Archbishop  Henry 
to  canonize  her  relics,  which  in  1286  was  done  accordingly. 
2.  In  addition  to  other  funeral  monuments,  there  is  an 
old  grave-stone  in  the  northern  transept,  ornamented 
with  sunken  wax-like  colours,  and  the  simple  inscription, 
“ Scolasticus.”  It  belongs  apparently  to  the  thirteenth 
century.  3.  The  monument  of  the  Archbishop  Cuno,  of 
Falkenstein  (d.  1888),  is  in  the  purest  pointed-arch  style. 
It  has  a picture  on  the  wall,  the  only  specimen  known 
as  belonging  to  this  period.  4.  Opposite  this  is  the 
monument  of  his  successor  Werner  (d.  1418),  but,  unlike 
it,  of  very  inferior  value.  5.  The  good  old  images  in  the 
hinder  part  of  the  choir- wails.  6.  The  bronze  crucifix 
on  the  high  altar.  7.  The  pulpit,  & very  good  example 
of  the  style  of  1625.  , 

2.  The  Church  of  St  Flokinus^  now  a garrison’- 
church,  was  built,  together  with  a monastery,  by  one 
Mechtild,  a relation  of  St  Helena,  and  first  dedicated  to 
the  Virgin  Mary.  Archbishop  Henry  (d.  965)  mentions  it: 
Archbishop  Ludolph  (d.  1008)  named  it  Florin’s  church. 
It  was  endowed  in  1012  by  the  Emperor  Henry,  and 

13 


178  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


again  by  others  in  1070  and  1071  ; and  by  Archbishop 
Bruno  in  1110,  who,  according  to  old  custom,  established 
a Hospital  there,  which  in  12 16  was  given  over  to  the 
German  religious  order  by  Archbishop  Theoderic.  The 
same  Bruno  (d.  1124)  built  the  present  church,  as  it  is 
said,  meliori  schemate.  The  new  choir  was  added  later, 
and  under  Archbishop  Jacob  (d.  1511)  the  organ-loft  was 
vaulted  over;  as  was  also  the  nave,  apparently  after  the 
siege  of  1636  or  1688  ; for  originally,  like  St  Castor’s 
church,  it  had  a ceiling  of  wood.  At  the  time  of  this 
vaulting,  and  under  the  roofs  of  the  aisles,  near  the  walls 
of  the  nave,  buttresses  were  constructed  of  ordinary  quar- 
ried stone  wall  work,  a construction  as  sensible  as  it  is  1 are. 
In  the  year  1669  the  roof  of  both  towers  was  burnt  by 
lightning;  and  in  1672  two  elegant  slender  spires  were 
erected  instead,  of  which  the  southern  one  in  1791  was 
struck  by  lightning  and  burnt ; whereupon  the  northern 
one  was  also  taken  down,  and  the  present  wretched  affair 
substituted.  In  1808  Napoleon  presented  this  church  to 
the  town  for  the  erection  of  a slaughter-house.  In  1817 
the  Prussian  government  bought  it  of  the  town  for  27,000 
dollars,  and  commissioned  the  Author*,  at  the  expense  of 

* The  Author  cannot  conceal  the  very  great  pleasure  which  the 
following  order  of  the  supreme  Cabinet  has  afforded  him ; he  finds 
therein  abundant  recompense  for  the  ingratitude  of  others: 

“ I have  taken  a view  of  the  evangelical  church  in  this  place 
its, interior  meets  with  my  especial  approbation:  for  I find  every  thing 
which  can  elevate  the  mind  to  devotion  and  edification,  combined 
without  parade  and  superfluity.  I therefore  commission  you  to  make 
known  my  approbation  to  those  who  were  engaged  on  this  building, 
and  especially  to  the  architect. 
t(  Coblentz,  29th  June , 1821. 

(Signed,)  Frederick  William. 

u To  the  Minister  of  Slate  von  Ingerslehen .” 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


179 


12,000  dollars,  to  convert  it  into  a Protestant  church  for 
the  garrison.  The  form  of  the  new  door-pediment,  to 
which  Professor  Klein  objects,  is  quite  according  to  the 
rules  of  construction,  and  occurs  in  all  churches  of  that 
period.  In  the  arched  tympanum  above  we  miss  espe- 
cially the  carvings,  which,  like  those  over  the  southern 
door  of  the  church  at  Andernach,  were  intended  to  be 
executed,  but  not  done,  for  want  of  means.  The  nave 
of  the  church  has  uncommonly  beautiful  proportions, 
evidently  the  result  of  numerical  calculations.  The  in- 
terior width  of  the  nave  gives  30  feet  Rhenish,  the  dia- 
meter of  the  columns  3 feet,  or  one-tenth  of  the  width ; 
the  distance  between  the  axes  of  the  pillars  15  feet,  or 
half  the  width ; thus  giving  a clear  intercolumniation 
of  12  feet,  or  four  times  the  diameter  of  the  columns: 
the  height  of  the  columns  is  15  feet,  and  therefore 
equal  to  the  distance  between  the  axes.  Highly  interest- 
ing is  a small  detached  building,  apparently  intended 
at  its  first  construction  to  be  what  it  now  is,  viz.  the 
residence  of  the  sexton.  This  building  stands  upon  the 
arches  of  the  cloister,  on  the  north  side  of  the  church; 
it  consists  of  two  stories,  each  covered  with  a vaulted 
roof.  Even  the  chimney  of  the  little  kitchen  is  orna- 
mented in  the  very  best  taste,  showing  the  transition 
from  the  round  to  the  pointed  arch,  and  therefore  most 
precious  as  a specimen  of  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth 
century;  and  it  may  be  highly  recommended  to  the 
notice  of  the  travelling  artist  as  a model  for  a closet 
for  a noble  lady. 

3.  The  Church  of  Notre  Dame  is  the  oldest  parish- 
church,  since  it  lay  in  the  territory  of  the  old  castle,  and 

13 — 2 


180  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


first  received  its  name  in  the  eleventh  century.  The 
present  nave  and  the  towers  were  built  under  the  admi- 
nistration of  Archbishop  Arnold  (who  d.  1259),  the  choir 
was  begun  in  1404*,  and  only  finished  in  1431,  the  vaulting 
about  1500,  and  the  tower-spires  after  the  siege  of  1688. 
The  pillars  under  the  organ-choir  have  been  taken  out 
of  the  western  choir  of  the  church  at  Laach:  they  are 
of  limestone,  the  same  as  was  used  in  the  great  Roman 
aqueduct  between  Treves  and  Cologne,  and  of  which 
the  little  pillars  of  almost  all  the  Rhenish  churches 
are. 

4.  The  former  Dominican  Church  is  now  converted 
into  a warehouse.  According  to  an  inscription,  evi- 
dently not  contemporary,  the  choir  was  finished  in  1235. 
Additions  and  alterations  were  made  after  the  great  fire 
of  1441. 

5.  Of  the  Franciscan  Church,  apparently  built  in 
1450,  where  the  Franciscans  occupied  the  monastery, 
the  choir  alone  remains.  This  was  preserved  as  a chapel 
to  the  hospital  erected  here.  The  director  of  the  School 
of  Arts  at  Dusseldorf,  M.  Schadow,  has  presented  a large 
altarpiece,  representing  the  Holy  Virgin  as  Queen  of 
Heaven  (perhaps  his  best  picture).  The  artist  has  given 
the  picture  on  condition  that  it  remain  the  property  of 
this  hospital,  so  nobly  conducted  by  the  Sisters  of  Charity. 

6.  The  former  Jesuit’s  Church  (the  order  was 
established  here  in  1580),  merely  a chapel  of  ease  to 
St  Castor,  was  built  from  1609  to  1615.  It  is  a most 
remarkable  example  of  the  construction  of  vaults,  on  a 

• See  the  inscription  on  the  last  pillar  on  the  right : Anno  1420 
obiit  Joannes  de  Spry , lapicida , inceptor  hujus  chori . 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


181 


plan  as  scientific  as  it  is  bold  ; and  in  no  other  church 
known  to  the  Author  are  the  walls  so  thin,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  the  choir,  buttresses  entirely  dispensed  with. 
The  whole  style  of  the  church  displays  a strange  mixture 
of  the  modern-antique  of  the  time  with  the  pointed  arch . 
So  also  the  vaults,  only  5 inches  thick,  are  no  longer 
formed  of  cross  vaults,  but  of  a cylindrical  vault  with 
intersecting  lunettes,  in  the  Italian  manner ; on  the  other 
hand,  it  contains  a rich  rib-net,  upon  the  knots  of  which 
are  uncommonly  large  shields  and  the  armorial  bearings 
of  all  the  families  that  contributed  to  the  building. 

7.  The  little  Church  of  St  George,  built  in  1618, 
and  now  converted  into  school-rooms,  is  altogether  in  the 
pointed  style.  Were  it  not  that  the  date  is  well  ascer- 
tained, one  would  be  disposed  to  make  it  100  years  older. 

8.  The  Church  of  the  Carmelites,  built  about 
1659,  and  therefore  only  a little  later  than  the  preceding 
example,  is  nevertheless  quite  in  the  Italian  style,  with  a 
cupola,  but,  like  the  former  adjacent  cloister,  skilfully 
constructed : the  north  wing  of  the  latter,  in  all  three 
stories,  massively  overarched.  The  one  is  now  a granary, 
the  other  a police-station. 

9.  The  Church  of  St  Barbara,  built  in  1707,  with 
elliptical  cross  arches,  and  pointed-arch  windows. 

10.  The  Castle  Church  (also  since  1831  converted 
into  a granary)  was  built  about  1787,  in  the  best  French- 
Itaiian  style,  with  beautifully  formed  ornaments  of  white 
marble. 

Among  the  secular  buildings  stands  first  the  Moselle 
bridge.  Pope  Clement  VI.  in  1343  granted  an  indulgence 
for  supporting  our  great  Elector  Baldwin  in  building  the 


182  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


same.  The  Emperor  Charles  IV.  in  1359  authorized 
the  levying  of  a toll  on  the  same,  because  “it  was  in  a 
shattered  condition,  and  not  yet  entirely  finished,”  The 
archbishops  Werner  and  Jakob  (in  1409  and  1440)  granted 
indulgences  for  its  completion. 

The  numerous  curvatures  of  this  bridge  cannot,  as 
many  suppose,  proceed  from  a sinking  of  the  caissons 
at  the  foundation  of  the  pillars,  because  the  method 
of  building  by  caissons  was  discovered  much  later.  It 
is  far  more  likely  to  be  due  to  the  faulty  method  of 
placing  these  pillars,  so  that  scarcely  any  one  stands 
parallel  with  the  others.  In  this  respect  the  ancients 
especially  were  not  only  negligent,  but  their  measuring 
instruments  were  most  imperfect*.  A tolerably  close 
scrutiny  of  old  buildings  will  detect  the  greatest  un- 
evennesses. The  spaces  between  the  columns  and  the 

* The  ingenious  Speckle,  for  example,  in  his  well-known  work 
on  the  Art  of  Fortification,  speaks  quite  mysteriously  of  a super- 
excellent  instrument  of  his  own  invention  for  mapping  the  circuit  of 
a town,  the  description  of  which  he  gives  as  an  especial  favour.  And 
what  is  it  after  all  ? An  ordinary  box-compass  with  a circular  card 
containing  certain  divisions!  At  that  time  architects  were  so  little 
acquainted  with  the  simplest  geometrical  constructions,  that  their 
plans  are  often  altogether  inaccurate;  as  for  example,  the  art  and 
method  of  determining  the  different  curvatures  of  vaulting  ribs;  on 
which  subject  the  Danish  architect,  Ranisch,  has  published  a book, 
throughout  the  whole  of  which  he  proceeds  on  a false  principle.  It  be- 
comes therefore  very  amusing  to  read,  as  one  often  must  read,  that  the 
construction  of  vaults  in  olden  times  depended  upon  profound  mathe- 
matical secrets,  which,  alas  for  science ! have  been  lost.  The  old 
builders  possessed  nothing  but  the  sound  intelligence  of  sensible  men, 
and  an  aptness  in  practice  exercised  from  earliest  youth.  They  lived 
more  at  the  building  place  than  at  home ; — thought  of  little  else, 
and  did  little  else ; and  thus  they  evidently  succeeded  much  better 
than  our  well-grounded  sages,  who  often  bring  into  the  world  their 
left-handed  productions,  or  lamely  written  pamphlets,  and  would 
fain  superintend  the  erection  of  buildings  from  their  writing-desk. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


183 


sides  differ  nearly  always  by  some  inches,  and  sometimes 
more,  as  for  example,  in  the  church  at  Simmern  as  much 
as  two  feet.  Very  seldom  do  we  find  the  angles  square, 
and  never  do  the  shafts  and  capitals  form  a truly  per- 
pendicular line.  Even  in  the  best  constructed  buildings, 
as  for  example  at  Cologne  Cathedral,  these  unevenesses 
not  only  exist,  but  they  are  considerable. 

The  Archbishop’s  Fort,  now  a manufactory  of 
lackered  tin  goods.  This  fort  begun,  as  mentioned  be- 
fore, by  Archbishop  Henry  1280,  has,  besides  the  modern 
projecting  building,  another  and  more  ancient  building 
immediately  adjoining;  and  built  by  Archbishop  John 
Von  der  Leyen,  1558  : it  had  also  another  restoration, 
1681 : in  the  first  projecting  building  is  one  of  the  finest 
spiral  staircases  known  to  the  Author.  The  ditches, 
which  still  remain,  show  plainly  the  small  circumference 
of  this  princely  dwelling. 

The  building  of  the  Merchants’  House  near  St  Flo- 
rian  was  finished  in  1479-  Its  upper  part  is  a restoration 
after  the  fire  of  1688.  The  former  Sheriff’s  Court  of 
Justice  adjacent  to  it,  with  its  pleasant  balcony  looking 
out  upon  the  Moselle,  and  the  elegantly  arched  hall  adjoin- 
ing, was  built  in  1530  by  Archbishop  Richard.  The 
wall  opposite  this,  with  a row  of  small  arches,  is  the 
oldest  and  sole  remnant  of  the  contiguous  buildings 
belonging  to  the  foundation  of  St  Florian.  A house 
near  the  Corn-gate  has  still  its  pinnacle-tops,  as  also  a 
vaulted  hall.  Obliquely  opposite  stand  two  citizens’ 
houses  with  well  preserved  gable  fronts,  built  about 
1500.  The  fine  large  portico  in  the  buildings  of  the 
Royal  General  Commanders,  formerly  the  Leyenscheu 


184  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


Hof,  may  belong  to  the  same  period.  Of  the  Gymnasium, 
formerly  the  Jesuits’  College,  the  wing  near  the  open 
square  was  built  in  1695  by  the  Elector  John  Hugo;  the 
older  one  adjoining  by  the  Elector  John  von  Schonenberg, 
1592;  the  southern  older  one  in  1588. 

The  old  Residence  Castle  of  the  Electors,  built  ac- 
cording to  the  plan  of  the  elder  Peyre,  with  certain  varia- 
tions instituted  by  his  successor  Dixnart,  from  1778  to  1788, 
at  the  cost  of  1,200,000  dollars  of  Treves,  equal  to  1,000,000 
dollars  Prussian,  is  skilful  in  its  principal  features,  and, 
as  a dwelling  for  an  unmarried  gentleman  with  many 
domestics,  it  is  laid  out  with  judgment;  but  it  especially 
recommends  itself  by  the  good  and  careful  execution  of 
all  its  single  parts.  The  two  chief  stories  were,  in  1822 
and  1824  restored,  and  converted  into  courts  of  justice. 
But  the  old  concert-room,  intended  for  the  public  business 
of  the  J ury  Court,  proved  so  unfavourable  for  public  speak- 
ing, that  the  voice  of  the  speaker  could  not  be  heard  un- 
less the  hall  were  quite  filled  with  people.  (Its  dimensions 
are  92  feet  long,  40  feet  broad,  and  46  feet  high.)  Rooms 
constructed  with  wooden  cylindrical  and  spherical  vaults 
often  present  a similar  inconvenience : it  was  found  pos- 
sible to  remedy  it  only  by  the  following  method : the 
Author  first,  by  way  of  experiment,  caused  a large  sail- 
cloth to  be  fixed  to  the  imposts,  and  thus  extended  over  the 
whole  hall : and  as  the  annoying  echo  immediately  ceased, 
a linen  tent-like  cover  slightly  painted  was  so  adjusted 
as  to  separate  the  room  entirely  from  the  arched  ceiling. — 
In  addition  to  the  principal  staircase,  18  feet  wide, 
of  which  each  step  consists  of  a single  stone,  there  is 
another  flight,  also  of  stone,  near  the  before-mentioned 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


185 


chapel,  especially  interesting  to  architects,  for  the  single 
arms  6 feet  broad,  with  a clear  opening  of  6 feet  by 
8 feet,  solely  supported  by  the  cut  of  the  cheeks.  The 
Author  knows  no  other  example  comparable  to  it  in 
boldness  and  lightness  *. 

The  Theatre  here,  as  well  as  the  adjoining  buildings, 
numbered  1009  and  1011,  the  productions  of  the  worthy 
director  Krahe  of  Brunswick,  deserve  to  be  noticed,  on 
account  of  the  purity  of  style,  suitableness  of  con- 
struction, and  economy  of  space : on  these  accounts  it 
is  a real  model  for  small  play-houses.  The  construction 
of  the  proscenium  the  Author  thinks  to  be  the  best  of 
all  he  is  acquainted  with. 

At  page  134  the  Dead  House  is  mentioned.  The 
details  of  this  building  do  not  belong  to  the  Author;  but 
ne  has  built  it  according  to  the  plan  of  the  fine  Bap- 
tistery at  Cobern-f*,  so  remarkable  in  the  history  of  art. 
The  Author  took  this  as  a model  for  the  present  building, 
because  it  afforded  an  excellent  opportunity  for  copying 
it,  as  well  in  its  interior  as  in  its  exterior  details. 
The  high  middle  hall  lighted  completely  by  a row  of 
windows  close  under  the  roof,  is  admirably  adapted  to 
the  purposes  of  dissection.  Of  the  six  low  sides,  one 

* As  an  especial  admirer  of  the  art  of  constructing  staircases, 
the  Author  has  endeavoured  to  contribute  several  illustrations  of  the 
same,  by  constructing  the  suspended  stone  steps  at  the  Rheinstein, 
and  in  the  buildings  of  the  Chief  President  in  this  place ; also  the 
iron  steps  at  the  Mentz  gate ; the  double  stairs  in  the  public  house 
of  Vater  Rhein ; the  external  and  internal  steps  at  the  new  parish- 
church  at  St  Castor ; as  also  some  others  at  the  castle  of  Rheinech. 

t Whoever  has  any  taste  for  architecture,  with  time  and  means 
at  command,  should  not  quit  Coblentz  without  making  an  excursion 
from  thence  to  the  splendid  church  at  Miinstermaifeld,  and  to  the 
forts  at  Elz  and  Ehrenburg,  which  he  can  do  by  coach  in  one  day. 


186  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


serves  as  an  entrance  hall ; another  for  disposing  the 
bodies ; another  for  the  safety  apparatus  (which  in  truth 
is  of  no  use  here  or  anywhere  else)  ; the  remaining 
three  are  the  rooms  of  the  attendant. 

Among  the  town-dwellings  may  be  mentioned  those 
which  after  the  great  fire  of  1688  were  built  about  the 
year  1700:  they  are  generally  to  be  distinguished  by 
projecting  low  windows  built  on  light  corbels.  Some 
of  them  consist  of  several  stories ; for  example,  the  four 
corner  houses  near  the  chief  guard-house : others  are 
remarkable  on  account  of  their  great  size ; for  example, 
those  near  the  former  Mercers’  Hall  (Kramerbau)  : those 
near  the  parsonage-house  of  Notre  Dame,  and  the  house 
Zum  Rosenstoch , No.  43,  the  coupled  windows  of  which 
have  this  peculiarity,  that  they  are  arranged  first  in  the 
increasing  progression  2,  3,  4,  and  then  in  the  decreas- 
ing 3,  2. 

It  is  well  known  how  honourably  the  reputation  of 
the  master-builders  has  been  increased  by  the  plans,  con- 
struction, and  completion  of  the  various  fortified  build- 
ings on  this  as  well  as  on  the  other  side  [of  the  Rhine], 
but  there  is  another  circumstance  equally  honourable, 
which  ought  not  to  be  passed  over  in  silence.  We  allude 
to  the  fact  that  among  the  numerous  labourers,  contrac- 
tors for  materials,  and  contractors  for  the  building  of 
these  works,  not  one  has  become  rich,  although  the  cost 
of  the  whole  has  exceeded  5,000,000  Prussian  dollars. 

Thai.  Ehrenbreitstein.— Page  148.  The  church 
of  the  Capuchins,  built  1658,  has,  like  many  older  and 
later  churches,  a decorated  false  vault,  and  which  may  at 
least  claim  the  merit  of  being  of  ingenious  and  simple  con- 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


187 


struction.  The  rafters  of  the  roof  are  cut  out  semi- 
circularly,  and  between  them  are  placed  light  curves  of 
oak-wood,  the  under  sides  of  which  are  horizontal ; 
these  have  common  barrel-hoops  nailed  to  them,  the  con- 
vex part  being  turned  upwards.  The  dove-tailed  inter- 
vening spaces  produced  by  this  arrangement  are  closed 
up  with  mortar  mixed  with  straw,  and  the  light  thin 
vaulted  cover  thus  formed  is  stained  all  over  in  the 
ordinary  way. 

The  former  Dikasterial  Building  and  store-house 
was  built  about  1750,  under  the  direction  of  the  father 
of  the  present  Colonel  Seitz,  the  occupier  of  the  villa 
so  pleasantly  situated  in  Pfaffendorf,  and  the  proprietor 
of  so  many  treasures  of  art.  All  the  stories  are  mas- 
sively vaulted  and  admirably  executed;  and  we  have 
here  another  example  how  a building  belonging  in  itself 
to  a tasteless  style,  is  yet  capable  of  producing  a pleasing 
impression,  inasmuch  as  the  principal  masses  and  the 
proportions  are  beautiful,  the  exterior  good,  and  all  that 
meets  the  eye  contributing  to  the  purpose  of  the  plan. 

The  Sauerbrunnen , which  here  as  well  as  in  Kob- 
lentz,  under  the  name  of  Born,  is  in  high  repute,  was 
named  in  a document  so  early  as  1326  Schwalburn,  and 
in  1355  St  George’s  Brunnen. 

Ems. — Page  1 44.  In  the  village  of  Ems  there  stands 
a fine  little  basilica,  but,  alas  ! somewhat  modernised*. 

Vallendar. — Page  154.  A similar  basilica  is  here, 
and  indeed  it  has  a crypt.  The  arches  and  other  ad- 

* All  of  this  kind  here  rest  upon  simple  quadrangular  pillars,  and 
only  in  Cologne  upon  pillars  with  cubical  capitals.  The  only  known 
exception  is  that  at  Hochst,  which  contains  old  Roman-Corinthian 

columns. 


188  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


ditions,  however,  belong  to  the  15th  century.  Archbishop 
Hetti  built  on  this  site  a church  contemporary  with  St 
Castor  in  Coblentz,  which  in  the  devastating  war  between 
the  rival  emperors  Otho  and  Philip,  about  the  year  1200, 
may  possibly  have  been  destroyed ; since  the  present  one 
seems  to  belong  to  that  time ; but  the  tower  belongs 
probably  to  the  15th  century.  This  church  possesses 
some  works  which  are  worthy  of  attention ; such  as  the 
case  in  which  the  host  is  kept,  some  cups,  and  some 
reliquaries. 

Niederwerth. — Page  153.  This  church  was  pro- 
bably built  about  1500,  since  at  the  establishment  of  the 
choristers  here  in  1437,  by  Archbishop  Raban,  a conse- 
crated chapel  was  already  (1337)  referred  to. 

BENDORF.—Ptfg’e  156.  The  Lutheran  church  here 
is  also  a basilica  well  worthy  of  notice,  its  decorations 
and  forms  are  peculiar.  The  middle  nave  originally 
possessed  no  wooden  ceiling,  like  the  church  of  St 
John  at  Niederlahnstein,  the  churches  at  Ems  and 
Vallendar,  but  a stone  vaulting.  Over  the  windows 
we  see  the  round  arch  already  merging  into  the  pointed 
arch. 

Sayn - Page  15 7.  The  old  and  very  remarkable 

cloister  church  consists  of  three  different  parts : the 

transept,  built  in  1202,  does  not  afford  the  slightest 
trace  of  the  pointed  arch,  but,  on  the  contrary,  a sphe- 
rical roof  over  the  intersection  of  the  nave  and  tran- 

columns.  Their  age  is,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  unknown:  in  1090,  Arch- 
bishop Ruthard  of  Mentz  presented  them  to  the  foundation  of  St 
Alban’s  in  that  place ; in  1440  they  were  given  up  to  the  order  of 
St  Anthony,  to  which  order  we  are  indebted  for  the  choir  as  well  as 
the  beautiful  northern  portal. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


189 


sept.  In  the  subsequent  addition  of  a simple  nave 
(that  is,  without  aisles)  the  round  arch  indeed  pre- 
dominates, but  yet  we  find  the  pointed  arch  over  the 
portal  and  over  the  northern  windows.  The  pilasters 
with  small  projecting  side  pillars,  united  with  sunk 
arches,  prove  that  at  the  erection  of  this  building 
round-arched  vaulting  was  contemplated;  and  the  present 
wooden  cover  only  provisional,  although  the  walls  pos- 
sessed no  buttresses.  The  choir  may  have  been  built 
about  1400;  its  ground-plan,  comprising  six  sides  of 
an  octagon,  is  quite  peculiar.  At  the  entrance  the 
effect  is  most  picturesque  by  reason  of  its  strong  illu- 
mination from  side  windows,  which  are  not  seen,  the 
view  of  them  being  prevented  by  the  outward  bending 
of  both  choir  sides  and  the  uncommon  length  of  the 
nave ; moreover,  there  is  little  light  in  the  transept. 
The  metal  gilt  and  richly  decorated  case  containing 
the  arm  of  St  Simon  is  worth  inspection.  Provost 
Bruno  of  Bonn,  afterwards  archbishop  of  Cologne, 
presented  it  to  this  church  in  1204. 

At  the  neighbouring  iron-foundry  persons  fond  of 
the  mechanical  arts  will  be  pleased  with  the  following 
objects:  — 1.  The  foundry,  with  wide  iron  scaffolds, 
bearing  a large  inclined  plane  resting  upon  pillars  22 
feet  high.  2.  The  crane  which  turns  upon  these. 
3.  The  cannon-boring  machinery.  4.  An  English  turn- 
ing lathe  of  very  large  size.  At  the  store-room,  among 
other  cast-iron  works  of  various  sizes,  are  sold  bas- 
reliefs  representing  the  external  appearance  of  old  build- 
ings, such  as  the  baptistery  at  Cobern,  the  churches  of 
Bonn,  Andernach,  Sinzig,  Munstermaifeld,  the  Council- 


190  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


house  at  Munster,  the  tomb  of  Archbishop  Cuno,  and 
many  others. 

Romersdouf.— Page  159.  An  older  church,  con- 

secrated in  1210,  was  burnt  about  1347,  in  the  cruel 
war  between  Archbishop  Baldwin  and  the  Count  of 
Isenburg.  The  latter  was  compelled  to  repair  the 
damage ; a new  church  was  therefore  built,  the  choir 
of  which,  in  1351,  was  consecrated.  The  still  existing 
chapter-house*  and  one  portion  of  the  cloister  belong 
to  our  most  beautiful  monuments.  Two  of  the  six 
pillars  in  the  chapter-house  are  of  granite  the  deco- 

* Boisseree,  in  his  Monuments  of  the  Lower  Rhine,  Plate  58, 
gives  representations,  accompanied  by  explanations,  of  the  peculiar 
uses  of  these  buildings : “ The  chapter-house,  or  the  chapter-hall,  was 
that  portion  of  the  cloister  or  collegiate  buildings  which,  next  to 
the  church,  was  held  in  most  esteem.  Here  the  monks  after  the 
morning  service  assembled  daily  under  the  presidency  of  the  Abbot 
or  Prior.  The  history  of  the  saint  for  the  day,  and  a chapter  from  the 
rules  of  the  order  were  propounded  (hence  the  name  of  chapter- 
house)  : also  on  the  anniversaries  of  the  death  of  a brother  of  the 
order,  of  a benefactor,  and  of  a patron,  those  portions  of  the  annual 
registers  were  read  which  recorded  the  event,  and  during  the  whole  of 
this  suitable  prayers  were  uttered.  Hereupon  followed  the  reproof 
and  punishment  of  offences  which  had  been  openly  committed,  or 
of  which  the  brethren  had  accused  themselves;  and  finally  distri- 
bution was  made  of  labour  and  occupation,  the  affairs  of  the  cloister 
considered,  or  the  cases  of  candidates  for  noviciates,  and  the  election 
of  an  Abbot  or  Prior.”  Considering  therefore  all  these  important 
uses  of  the  chapter-house,  we  see  why  it  was  built  with  especial 
care  and  without  regard  to  expense : it  was  commonly  erected  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  church  at  the  east  side  of  the  cloister.  Projecting 
seats  were  provided  round  its  interior,  and  in  the  midst  a distin- 
guished seat  for  the  Abbot  or  Prior,  near  which  were  the  members  of 
the  foundation,  the  Provost  or  Dean.  The  hall  was  also  decorated 
with  pictures,  and  it  contained  also  a cross  and  a reading  desk. 

t Schreiber,  in  his  before-mentioned  Rhine  Journey,  page  331, 
takes  them  to  be  Roman,  and  strongly  urges  that  they  should  be 
pulled  down  and  placed  near  the  Roman  monuments,  some  old 
foundation  walls,  at  Bieber  or  Engers;  that  is,  to  pull  down  the 
chapter-house  and  bury  the  columns! 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


191 


rated  vaulting-ribs,  as  also  its  buttresses,  prove  that  it 
belongs  to  the  buildings  which  the  Abbot  Bruno  Von 
Braunsberg  erected  here  about  the  year  1216.  At  the 
sale  of  the  cloister-buildings  the  purchaser  was  obliged 
to  agree  to  keep  it  in  repair. 

Engers. — Page  160.  The  roof-painting  in  the  castle- 
hall,  belonging  to  the  older  and  better  period  of  the 
court-painter  Zick,  is  worth  inspection  ; as  also  the  beau- 
tiful prospect  afforded  from  the  balcony.  The  green- 
house and  hot-house  here  have  cast-iron  windows;  the 
latter  has  iron  roof  supports,  built  by  the  Author  in  1821. 
The  cost  was  about  8300  dollars. 

The  before-mentioned  masonry  being  the  foundation 
of  a building  50  feet  long  by  30  feet  wide,  seems,  on 
account  of  its  inferior  workmanship  and  the  absence 
of  tiles,  to  have  belonged  rather  to  a fort,  which  for- 
merly stood  here,  than  to  a Roman  building.  John  Philip 
Von  Reifenburg  in  the  Antiq.  Saynens . and  others 
after  him,  Schreiber  for  example,  would  have  it  to 
be  the  spur  of  a Roman  Rhine  bridge. 

Neuwied. — Page  162.  The  collection  of  Roman 
antiquities  here  is  particularly  rich  in  small  utensils, 
tools,  and  such  like  objects.  Among  them  are  also 
found  grains  of  roasted  corn,  still  perfectly  edible. 

Andernach Page  167-  In  the  church  represented 

by  Boisseree,  Plates  44  to  48*,  the  northern  tower  of 
the  choir  is  evidently  very  much  older  than  the  rest 
of  the  church.  It  may  have  belonged  to  the  former 

* Since  the  plates  of  this  work  are  sold  separately,  we  have 
thought  it  right  to  give  the  numbers  attached  to  those  which  contain 
Rhenish  buildings,  in  order  that  the  reader  may  know  at  once  where 
to  find  representations  of  them. 


192  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


structure,  said  to  have  been  built  under  Lewis  the  Child 
in  908,  and  apparently  destroyed,  together  with  the 
town,  in  the  war  we  have  so  often  mentioned,  between 
Otho  and  Philip  (1199)-  The  present  church  may  have 
been  erected  at  the  beginning  of  the  13th  century, 
perhaps  by  John  of  Treves,  who,  in  1212,  purchased 
the  patronage  of  it ; as  also  in  later  times,  the  Emperor 
Frederick  III.  (d.  1475)  erected  an  altar  and  established 
a mass  therein.  The  vaulting  over  the  nave  bears 
three  escutcheons  : one  contains  the  arms  of  the  town, 
another  those  of  the  Emperor,  and  the  third  those  of 
the  Archbishop  Herman  IV.  of  Cologne  (d.  1508)  ; with- 
out doubt  therefore  it  belongs  to  this  period,  although 
it  is  reckoned  to  be  older.  The  bas-relief  over  the 
southern  entrance-door  is  remarkably  fine,  as  also  the 
impost  decorations  on  this  and  the  other  doors ; the 
predominance  of  horizontal  lines  and  the  richly-decorated 
west  front  is  peculiar.  Of  rare  beauty,  also,  are  the 
profiles  of  the  Coblentz  gate:  its  various  injuries  arise 
apparently  from  one  of  the  many  wars,  in  which  it  was 
customary  to  have  fires  at  the  gate ; a practice  very 
injurious  to  this  basalt  lava,  which  splits  on  the  appli- 
cation of  a very  moderate  heat.  Contiguous  to  the  gate 
are  the  highly  picturesque  remains  of  the  archiepiscopal 
palace,  with  its  strong  towers,  which,  judging  by  their 
decorations,  belong  doubtless  to  the  end  of  the  15th 
century*.  Here  also  are  still  visible  the  remains  of 
the  bridge  which  the  citizens  there  broke  up  in  a skirmish 

* Few  cities  can  boast  of  so  picturesque  an  entrance  as  is  pre- 
sented by  Andemach  on  this  side:  the  town  is  solely  indebted  for 
the  preservation  of  this  entrance  to  the  liberal  hand  of  his  Royal 
Highness  the  Prince  Royal, 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


193 


with  its  proprietor  ; but  being  compelled  in  1355  to  re- 
build it,  by  the  judgment  of  the  towns  of  Cologne,  Bonn, 
Coblentz  and  Wesel,  chosen  as  umpires,  they  must  have 
destroyed  it  a second  time,  because  by  an  agreement  in 
the  year  146‘7  they  undertook  to  build  it  again,  to  which, 
however,  the  Comptroller  of  the  Episcopal  Foundation 
(1473)  refused  his  assent.  The  palace  of  the  Austrasian 
kings  did  not  stand  in  this  place  as  generally  supposed, 
but  according  to  the  poem  in  which  Venantius  Fortu- 
natus  about  562  sings  his  Rhine  journey*,  it  stood  close 
upon  the  Rhine.  There  also  exists  still  a town-gate,  the 


* Antonnacensis  Castelli  promptus  ad  arces, 

Inde  prope  accedens,  sarcina  pergo  ratis. 

Sint  licet  hie  spatiis  vineta  in  collibus  amplis, 

Altera  pars  plani  fertilis  extat  agri. 

Plus  tamen  ilia  loci  speciosi  copia  pollet, 

Alter  quod  populis  fructus  habetur  aquis. 

Denique  dum  praesunt  Reges  in  sedibus  aula?, 

Ac  mensae  officio  prandia  festa  colunt, 

‘Retibus  inspicitur,  quo  salmo  fasce  levatur, 

Et  numerat  pisces,  cum  sit  in  arce  sedens. 

Rex  favet,  immensa  resilit  dum  piscis  ab  unda, 

Atque  animos  reficit,  quod  sua  praeda  venit. 

Illuc  fausta  videns,  hue  laeta  palatia  reddens, 

Pascens  ante  oculos,  post  fovet  ipse  cibis. 

Praesentatur  item  mensae  Rheni  advena  civis, 

Turbaque  quo  residens,  gratificatur  edens, 

Ista  diu  Dominus  dominis  spectacula  praestet, 

Et  populis  dulces  detis  habere  dies. 

Vultibus  ex  placidis  tribuatis  gaudia  cunctis, 

Vester  et  ex  vestris  laetificetur  apex. 

Hontheim,  Hist.  Trev.  1.  44. 

It  appears  hereby  that  the  old  castle  was  situated  close  on  the 
Rhine : the  ruins  of  the  former  archiepiscopal  castle  stood,  therefore, 
at  a tolerably  long  distance  from  hence:  but  Schreiber,  page  336, 
with  much  simplicity,  concludes  that  the  Rhine  has  since  altered  its 
course.  He  also  naturally  concludes  that  the  great  round  tower  with 
the  Gothic  arch  cornice  and  shell-roof  is  a Roman  work. 

14 


194  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


inner  part  of  which,  looking  towards  the  town,  may  be 
Roman,  judging  at  least  by  the  rough  statues,  with 
short  close-girt  attire,  placed  thereon.  The  Franciscan 
church,  occupied  since  1818  as  a stable,  belongs,  as 
already  mentioned,  to  those  rare  structures  which  at 
their  origin  consisted  of  two  naves.  As  early  as  1246  a 
church  existed  here.  The  present  structure  was  erected 
between  1414  and  1463,  and  in  1489  a statue  of  the  Holy 
Virgin  was  consecrated  in  it. 

The  highly  picturesque  tower  at  the  lower  extremity 
of  the  town,  was  erected  about  the  year  1520,  in  which 
year  the  town  was  in  treaty  with  Archbishop  Hermann 
of  Cologne,  respecting  its  erection.  The  Crane  on  the 
Rhine  was  erected  in  1554,  with  the  permission  of  the 
archbishop,  at  that  time  obtained.  Its  arched  corbel 
table  with  the  attics  over  it,  affords  an  elegant  speci- 
men of  the  transition  from  the  pointed  style,  to  that  of 
the  modern  antique ; as  also  the  house  formerly  belong- 
ing to  the  Counts  of  Leyen,  situated  at  no  great  dis- 
tance from  the  Coblentz  gate,  which  shews  the  transition 
in  the  height  of  its  beauty.  Lastly,  the  Jew’s  bath,  so 
often  shewn  to  travellers  as  a Roman  bath,  is  indeed  no 
other  than  a common  Jew’s  bath,  similar  to  those  found  in 
all  cities*  where  Jews  reside;  because  the  Jewish  women 
are  sometimes  obliged  to  bathe  in  water  which  has  flowed , 
and  not  been  poured  or  pumped  into  the  ewer.  Towards 
the  end  of  the  13th  century,  the  citizens  of  this  place 
expelled  the  Jews  and  destroyed  their  houses  and  syna- 

* A similar  one  in  Coblentz  is  quite  rough : another  at  Friedberg 
in  the  Wetterau  is,  on  the  contrary,  elegantly  adorned  in  the  pointed 
style.  They  all  consist  of  a well  or  spring  about  which  a flight 
of  steps  leads  down  to  the  water. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


195 


gogue,  but  according  to  a judgment  of  arbitration  of  the 
year  1287,  they  were  obliged  to  repair  all  the  damage 
they  had  committed,  to  receive  the  Jews  again  into  their 
town  ; until  at  length,  in  1596,  the  citizens  obtained  per- 
mission from  Archbishop  Ernest  of  Cologne  to  expel  all 
Jews. 

St  Thomas. — Page  169.  A pious  monk,  Isenber- 
tus,  sent  hither  in  1129,  as  prior,  to  establish  discipline 
in  the  cloister,  died  in  the  odour  of  sanctity,  and  was 
buried  in  the  chapel  of  St  Michael,  and  there  performed 
miracles,  especially  in  curing  the  diseases  of  children.  The 
exterior  of  this  chapel  is  remarkable  on  account  of  its 
beautiful  arcade ; and  the  interior  for  its  pure  Roman 
cross  arches ; such  a structure  with  straight  horizontal 
crown-lines  is  on  that  account,  as  also  on  account  of  its 
ascertained  date,  of  especial  value  as  a work  of  art,  and 
therefore  it  is  so  much  the  more  to  be  lamented  that 
some  years  ago  it  was  divided  into  cells  for  insane 
persons.  Fortunately  the  arches  remain  unchanged : it 
is  therefore  possible,  and  even  probable,  that  we  may  yet 
see  it  restored  back  to  its  original  condition,  especially 
as  every  lunatic  asylum  should  have  a chapel,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  most  recent  opinions  on  the  subject,  such 
cells  are  not  only  unnecessary,  but  they  are  even  found 
to  be  prejudicial  to  their  inmates. 

Leudesdorf. — Page  171.  The  parish  church  pos- 

sesses a good  old  baptismal  font,  and  the  partly  under- 
ground burial  chapel  has  ornamented  pointed  windows, 
although  it  was  built  in  the  middle  of  the  17th  century. 

Namedy Page  171-  The  small  old  conventual 

church  belonging  to  the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century, 

14—2 


196  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


is  divided  into  two  naves,  by  means  of  a row  of 
slender  columns.  The  choir  also  has  much  that  is 
peculiar. 

Fornich. — Page  172.  The  chapel  in  the  street, 

was  built  in  1369,  by  John  Von  Irslich,  an  incumbent 
of  Andernach. 

Hammerstein Page  173.  The  fort  ruin,  con- 

sidered as  such,  is  unimportant ; but  the  little  church 
in  Oberhammerstein  is  worthy  of  attention.  Not  only 
has  the  choir  a building  over  it,  which  almost  leads 
us  to  infer  a former  baptistery,  but  the  church  also 
possesses  a vaulted  roof  built  upon  wooden  ribs,  the 
key-stones  of  this  vaulting  consisting  of  posts  hanging 
from  the  roof,  into  which  posts  the  ribs  are  fastened. 

Laach. — Page  176.  The  church  here,  (see  Bois- 
seree,  Plates  25,  26)  built  from  1093  to  1156,  in  the 
purest  round-arch  style,  without  buttresses,  and  with- 
out the  slightest  trace  of  a pointed  arch,  possesses,  like 
the  great  cathedrals  at  Mentz,  Worms,  and  Speier, 
two  choirs  and  two  transepts,  the  latter  bearing  each 
a large  tower,  and  two  others,  one  on  each  side. 
Every  thing  is  most  richly  adorned  with  the  best  or- 
naments, and  every  part  of  the  work  is  executed  in 
the  best  and  most  beautiful  manner.  It  deserves  to 
take  the  lead  of  all  the  treasures  of  our  land  of  Treves; 
and  is  of  the  highest  value  to  connoisseurs  and  ama- 
teurs of  art.  Like  St  Clement’s  at  Rome,  it  possesses 
a wonderfully  beautiful  cloister-walk  in  front  of  the 
west  end.  The  monument  of  the  founder,  erected  by 
Abbot  Theoderich  (about  1295),  has  by  no  means 
44  lost  two  columns;”  its  wonderful  canopy,  with  old 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


197 


Greek  profiles,  could  scarcely  spare  a half  column.  Its 
wooden  image,  not  the  “ copy,1’  but  the  model,  of  the 
stone  one,  has  been,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  removed 
to  Burresheim.  The  model  of  the  • church,  which  this 
figure  formerly  held  in  its  hand,  was  missing  for  30 
years,  when,  by  a most  singular  coincidence,  it  came 
into  the  possession  of  the  author ; but  alas  ! it  is  only 
a rough,  incorrect  representation  of  the  building.  The 
grave-stone  of  the  first  Abbot  Giselbert  (who  d.  1152), 
together  with  his  bust  and  an  inscription  in  Mosaic, 
half  destroyed  by  violence  and  mischief,  is  worth  a 
visit  to  the  Museum  at  Bonn*.  The  subterranean 
drain  of  the  lake  was  constructed  by  the  second  Abbot 
Fulbertus  (who  d.  1177).  At  the  sale  of  the  Abbey,  the 
possession  of  the  church  was  reserved  ; and,  so  far  as 
means  permitted  its  preservation,  was  cared  for.  It 
were  much  to  be  desired,  that  a proper  system  of 
draining  were  first  attended  to.  For  want  of  it,  much 
injury  has  already  been  done  ; the  side  walls  are  some- 
what pushed  out,  and  the  arches  display  wide  cracks, 
which,  although  of  old  origin,  yet  have  widened  in 
later  times.  In  the  meanwhile,  this  damage  may  cause 
the  whole  to  come  down  with  a crash ; and  there- 
fore the  church  deserves  the  most  careful  attention. 

Rheineck. — Page  178.  The  watch-tower  is  not 

“ Roman,  founded  upon  a rock,  and  with  walls  seven 
feet  thick it  is  not  particularly  “ bold it  is  not 

* Far  more  remarkable,  in  many  respects,  is  another  preserved 
in  the  Museum  at  Bonn ; relics  bought  at  a very  high  price ; namely, 
the  shield  which  the  pretended  Hermann  is  said  to  have  worn  in 
the  fight  with  Varus. 


198  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


150,  but  alas ! only  65  feet  high.  The  old  masonry, 
built  partly  before,  and  partly  after  the  destruction  of 
the  fort,  on  its  conquest  by  the  emperor  Conrad  in 
1150,  was  in  so  miserable  a condition,  and  the  chapel 
built  upon  it  so  much  out  of  repair,  that  it  was  found 
necessary  to  pull  every  thing  down,  even  to  the  last 
stone  of  the  foundation.  This  is  much  to  be  lamented 
on  account  of  the  chapel,  although,  after  the  fire  of 
1784,  its  interior  was  horribly  modernized.  The  newer 
one  was,  however,  as  regards  its  exterior,  a faithful 
copy  of  the  older  one,  as  far  as  the  battlements  of 
the  underbuilding,  that  of  the  choir  niches,  the  arch 
work,  and  all  that  is  put  thereon.  Should  the  round 
gable  in  the  Rhine  front  of  the  new  building  excite  a 
scruple  in  any  one’s  mind,  it  must  be  considered  that 
a round  gable  is  quite  consistent  with  round  arches. 
Moreover,  this  gable  form  is  to  be  seen  in  the  Chapel 
of  the  Cathedral  at  Goslar. 

Rheinerohl. — Page  179.  The  cloven  steeple  of 
the  tower  of  the  parish  Church  resembles  those  at  St 
Gereon,  at  Cologne:  the  whole  west  side  of  this  tower 
rests  upon  a huge  oak  beam  over  the  arches  of  the 
choir.  The  Chapel  close  upon  the  Rhine,  displays 
in  its  elegant  interior,  a very  neat  wooden  vaulted 
ceiling:  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  conceal  the  ma- 
terial of  which  it  is  composed,  but  it  appears  to  be 
what  it  really  is. 

Niedekbreisig. — Page  179-  At  the  lower  end 
stands  a small,  but  genuine  piece  of  Roman  wall.  The 
Church,  erected  in  1718,  has  still  pointed  arches  with 
ribs,  the  latter,  however,  resting  upon  Roman  pilasters. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


199 


Oberbreisig. — Page  179.  The  “inscription,”  con- 
sisting only  of  a religious  saying,  is  to  be  found  on 
the  socle-covering  of  the  church,  which  is  worth  notice, 
and  possesses  a side  porch,  closed  with  an  Arabic  arch, 
i.  e.  a circular  arch  continued  beyond  the  half  circle; 
an  aisle  with  niche  formed  arcades ; a mannerchor  over 
the  northern  one;  and  pillars,  the  imposts  of  which  are 
profiled  according  to  the  Lesbian  form  ; which  indeed, 
in  the  members  of  our  buildings  in  this  region,  is  not 
of  rare  occurrence. 

Leubsdorf. — Page  179.  The  small  Church  is  not 
entirely  destitute  of  importance;  more  remarkable,  how- 
ever, is  the  small  old  Fort-house  with  its  little  corner 
tower,  the  interior  of  which  is  in  good  preservation, 
and  gives  a clear  idea  of  the  excessive  modesty  of  the 
knightly  dwellings  of  that  time. 

Dattenberg. — Page  180.  On  the  romantic  road, 
leading  from  the  Rhine  over  Dattenberg  to  Leubsdorf, 
is  situated  between  the  latter,  a small  plateau,  which 
may  be  recommended  as  an  excellent  site  for  the 
erection  of  an  antique  villa,  commanding  an  extensive 
and  splendid  prospect. 

Sixzig. — Page  181.  The  Church,  (see  Boisseree, 
Plates  53  to  55),  not  built  in  the  “ German”  but  in 
the  transition  style,  may  boast  of  a particularly  fine 
situation.  Like  so  many  others,  it  was  apparently 
built  after  the  before-mentioned  war  between  Otho  and 
Philip,  when  the  town  was  burnt.  In  its  principal 
features,  as  also  in  its  details,  this  church  contains 
much  that  is  truly  beautiful.  A smaller  and  simpler 
one,  in  the  neighbouring  Heimersheim  on  the  Aar, 


200  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


displays  a remarkable  resemblance  to  this.  A two-hours 
walk  further  on  brings  us  to  Ahrweiler,  where  stands 
a splendid  church  with  triple  choir,  erected  between 
1245  and  1274  by  Gottfried  von  Blankenheim,  the  thirty- 
fifth  Abbot  of  Prum.  The  town  of  Sinzig  was  once 
important.  The  Frankish  kings  had  a Palatium  there, 
which,  up  to  1110,  was  sometimes  inhabited.  The 
emperor  Adolph,  in  1297,  authorized  the  levying  of  a 
tax  for  completing  its  fortifications. 

Linz. — Page  182.  The  beautiful  picture,  already 
much  injured  by  the  well-known  picture-murderer  Per- 
eira, was  last  year  almost  utterly  destroyed  by  an  un- 
lucky fall  upon  the  ground.  The  beautiful  slender 
Helm  on  the  tower,  contains  the  highest  roof  structure 
which  the  author  has  ever  seen : it  owes  its  existence 
evidently  to  the  great  fire  of  1391. 

Remagen. — Page  184.  The  door-way  of  the 
Catholic  parsonage  house  consists  of  the  remnants  of 
an  older  one,  and  has  a small  side  door.  The  re- 
markably grotesque  sculptures  upon  it  might  seem  to 
belong  to  a remote  age,  were  it  not  that  some  of  its 
architectural  details  prove  it  to  belong  to  the  end  of 
the  eleventh  century.  Similar  sculptures  also  occur  at 
the  southern  side  entrance  of  the  Cathedral  at  Munster 
in  Westphalia. 

Apollinarisberg Page  185.  Archbishop  Fred- 

erick of  Cologne  (who  d.  1131)  built  here  a cell  for 
some  monks.  In  1164  the  bones  of  St  Apollinaris 
were  placed  there ; the  existing  crypt  belongs  there- 
fore, most  likely,  to  the  first  building.  The  newer 
church,  apparently  erected  after  the  oft-mentioned  war 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


201 


between  Otho  and  Philip,  is  similar  to  that  in  Ober- 
breisig,  and  contains  many  peculiarities,  especially  in 
its  vaulting.  The  Church  and  the  buildings,  together 
with  considerable  estates,  are  for  sale.  May  they  be 
so  fortunate  as  to  find  a purchaser  like  him  of  Rhei- 
neck  ! A more  beautiful  place  for  a country  seat  could 
not  easily  be  found : the  prospect  is  charming,  and  the 
view  of  the  Siebengebirg  admirable. 

Unkel Page  187=  1°  Church  here,  the 

middle  pillars  are  thicker  at  the  upper  than  at  the 
lower  part.  It  possesses  a good  baptismal  font,  copied 
by  Boisseree,  Plate  24. 

Heistekbach Page  196.  The  choir  of  this 

Church,  begun  in  1210,  consecrated  1233,  is  particu- 
larly valuable,  inasmuch  as  it  proves  what  large  masses 
can  be  placed  upon  long  taper  tobacco  pipes  of  columns. 
This  Church  is  represented  in  a very  complete  manner 
by  Boisseree,  Plates  39  to  44.  Would  that  it  were 
possible,  that  at  least  this  single  remnant  of  a splendid 
Church,  perhaps  the  most  picturesque  of  all  ruins, 
might  be  preserved  for  posterity,  which  might  be  done 
at  small  expence.  A Monk  there,  one  Cesarius,  wrote,  in 
1222,  the  Dialogi  mortuorum , a very  remarkable  book. 

Godesburg. — Page  198.  The  “proud  tower”  is 
again  nothing  less  than  “ Roman,”  but  belongs,  no 
doubt,  to  the  first  fort,  begun  in  the  year  1212  by 
Archbishop  Theoderich  of  Cologne.  At  the  end  of 
the  village  stands  a small  chapel  with  an  adjoining 
building,  both  of  noticeable  character. 

Bonn. — Page  205.  The  importance  of  the  Church 
of  the  Munster  foundation,  so  early  as  the  year  1131, 


202  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


is  proved  by  the  bull  of  pope  Innocent  II.  confirming 
to  it  its  possessions,  by  which  document  they  appear 
to  have  included,  in  addition  to  a great  many  other- 
estates,  not  less  than  35  parish  churches  with  their 
tithes.  In  1139,  the  pope  grants  to  this  foundation 
the  overseership  of  4 country  deaconships,  with  388 
parish  and  feudal  Churches.  The  choir  (see  Bois- 
seree,  Plate  56)  with  its  towers  and  the  crypt,  as  also 
the  cloister,  were  built  by  the  Provost  Gerhard,  a 
Count  of  Sayn,  about  1157.  The  Church  was  built 
later,  apparently  by  Provost  John  about  1270.  It 
suffered  very  much  by  fire  in  1590  and  1639,  but  it 
belongs  to  the  finest  of  our  monuments,  especially  as 
an  example  of  the  transition  style.  Its  interior  is 
noble,  its  details  fine,  and,  like  the  hitherto  too  much 
neglected  cloister,  contains  many  peculiarities ; and, 
certainly,  as  the  principal  church  in  such  a town  as 
Bonn,  and  as  belonging  to  the  privileged  seat  of  the 
muses  in  the  province,  it  does  not  deserve  to  be  used 
as  a lumber  room  for  empty  barrels  and  champagne 
baskets.  Of  the  Church  of  St  Martin,  pulled  down 
in  1810,  there  is  no  trace,  except  the  view  given  by 
Boisseree,  Plate  1,  and  a section  by  Meyer,  by  which 
it  appears  to  have  belonged  to  the  beginning  of  the 
eleventh  century.  The  interior  of  the  former  Mino- 
rite, now  the  parish-Church,  has  been,  within  the  last 
few  years,  extremely  well  restored,  and  affords  a re- 
markably pleasing  and  elevating  impression.  Its  age 
is  not  known  ; but  it  belongs,  apparently,  to  the  later 
pointed  style.  The  Jesuit’s  Church,  consecrated  in 
3 617,  has,  like  all  those  belonging  to  that  order,  good 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


203 


proportions,  which,  however,  are  somewhat  destroyed 
by  the  bad  style  of  the  period.  Admirers  of  Roman 
inscriptions  will  find  much  that  is  worthy  of  their  at- 
tention in  the  collection  belonging  to  the  University. 

Schwartz-Rheindorf — Page  220.  One  of  the 

most  rare  double  churches,  i.  e.  one  standing  upon  an- 
other; which  has  the  singular  good  fortune  to  be  able 
to  display  its  history  to  every  reader  in  an  old  inscrip- 
tion in  stone.  It  was  begun  in  1148  by  Arnold,  a 
Count  of  Wied,  then  Archbishop  of  Cologne,  and  in- 
tended *for  his  place  of  burial.  In  1156  he  died,  as 
Archbishop  of  Mayence,  and  was  buried  here.  This 
church  was  consecrated  in  1151,  and  does  not  shew 
the  slightest  trace  of  the  pointed  arch.  It  is,  therefore, 
of  especial  interest  in  the  history  of  architecture.  It 
has  an  arcade  going  almost  round  the  whole  church, 
resting  on  more  than  one  hundred  little  pillars,  which, 
at  their  bases,  as  well  as  at  their  capitals,  display  a 
whole  assemblage  of  various  adornments  and  profiles. 

Cologne Page  224.  St  Maternus,  as  the  first 

bishop  and  the  disciple  of  the  apostle  Peter,  so  early 
as  the  year  94,  is  said  to  have  built  a cathedral  church 
and  to  have  dedicated  it  to  St  Cecilia.  A later  one  was 
founded  by  Archbishop  Hildebold,  who  being  present 
with  Charlemagne  at  his  death  in  814,  inherited  cer- 
tain treasures  by  the  will  of  the  latter,  for  the  pur- 
poses of  this  building.  In  819  the  said  Hildebold  be- 
queathed to  this  cathedral  his  books.  In  878  it  was 
consecrated  in  the  presence  of  many  foreign  bishops. 
It  stood  near  the  present  fort  wall,  but  was  much  in- 
jured by  the  incursion  of  the  Romans,  about  882.  It 


204  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


was  also  extensively  injured  in  1080  by  fire,  and  finally 
in  1248  it  was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire.  In  this 
same  year  Archbishop  Conrad,  of  Hochstetten,  laid  the 
foundation  stone  of  the  present  one*,  of  which  the  choir 
was  completed  under  his  fourth  successor  in  1320,  and 
solemnly  consecrated ; but  the  frequent  disturbances 
of  that  stormy  period  seem  to  have  occasioned  many 
hindrances  to  the  building.  Archbishop  Wilhelmus  (who 
died  1362)  erected  a high  altar  together  with  his  own 
tomb.  Of  the  older  church  there  is  no  design  in  exis- 
tence : all  that  is  known  of  it  is,  that  it  had  two 
choirs  over  crypts,  two  wooden  towers,  and  the  nave 
ten  windows  on  each  side. 

With  regard  to  the  so  often  mooted  question,  as 
to  whether  this  super-excellent  building,  this  unrivalled 
giant  work-|-  ought  not  to  be  completed,  the  author  may 
here  in  few  words  offer  his  opinion. 

That  this  completion  is  not  impossible  as  far  as 

* The  magnificent  work  on  the  cathedral  which  we  owe  to  the 
magnanimous  sacrifice  of  large  sums  of  money  by  Sulpiz  Boisseree, 
is  known  to  the  world.  To  render  it  more  generally  useful,  a smaller 
edition  is  a desideratum.  The  little  hook  on  the  cathedral  by  De 
Noel,  the  keeper  of  the  Wallraf  collection,  a man  of  rare  taste  for  the 
fine  arts,  and  of  extended  information  in  history,  deserves  to  be  re- 
commended to  every  one. 

Mr  Whewell  in  his  excellent,  but  not  sufficiently  known 
little  book,  entitled : Architectural  Notes  on  German  Churches,  Cam- 
bridge, 1830,  applies  to  the  cathedral  the  following  expression  (page 
67)  which  is  as  beautiful  as  it  is  true : “ Cologne’s  cathedral  is  the 
unrivalled  glory  of  buildings  of  this  class ; the  most  splendid,  and 
perhaps  the  earliest  exhibition  of  the  beauties  of  this  style.”  Bois- 
seree, in  yet  stronger  terms,  and  with  equal  truth,  names  it  a 
“memorial  both  of  the  sublimest  genius,  and  the  utmost  steadiness 
of  purpose  and  artistical  power,  and  in  spite  of  all  our  schismatic 
divisions,  an  emblem  of  the  united  histories  of  the  German  Father- 
land.” 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


20  5 


regards  mechanical  difficulties,  that  the  completion  would 
not  even  be  difficult,  the  practical  architect  requires  no 
proof.  He  is  satisfied  with  the  resources  afforded,  by 
the  rapid  advance,  in  modern  times,  of  our  knowledge 
in  mechanics,  in  the  arts,  and  in  the  sciences.  The 
non-practical  man,  on  the  other  hand,  may  be  easily 
convinced  of  this,  by  reviewing  our  most  recent  resto- 
rations, which  we  and  the  world  owe  to  our  pious 
king,  and  for  which  we  cannot  be  sufficiently  thankful. 
The  only  thing  to  be  considered  is  the  cost,  which,  ac- 
cording to  credible  estimates,  would  probably  amount 
to  perhaps  five  millions  of  dollars,  for  the  completion 
of  the  whole,  the  two  towers  included.  To  collect 
this  sum  in  the  course  of  a few  years,  or  during  the 
life  of  one  sovereign,  the  unfavourable  circumstances  of 
our  times  certainly  do  not  permit.  Nay,  among  so 
many  other  and  more  urgent  claims,  such  an  under- 
taking might  be  called  a culpable  expenditure  of  money. 
But  what  hinders  us  from  proceeding  in  the  path  which 
our  forefathers  trod  ? Even  they,  when  they  began 
this  building, — the  plan  of  which,  like  another  Mi- 
nerva, sprang  out  of  the  head  of  an  older  Schinkel, 
in  the  noblest  attire, — even  they  were  not  so  ignorant 
or  so  imprudent,  as  to  entertain  the  hope  of  living  to 
rejoice  in  its  completion.  The  piety  of  the  founders, 
and  the  giant-like  conception  of  the  building,  are  per- 
haps equally  deserving  of  our  admiration : if  their  suc- 
cessors,— during  a wild  and  disturbed  period,  which, 
if  powerful,  was  also  rude,  including  as  it  does  well 
nigh  400  years ; — if  they  sedulously  exerted  themselves, 
according  to  their  means,  in  the  commencement  of  works 


206  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


intended  for  all  times  and  for  all  generations,  it  cer- 
tainly behoves  us  in  our  time  to  imitate  their  example. 
Whether  the  object  is  accomplished  sooner  or  later, 
whether  that  which  was  commenced  more  than  500  years 
ago,  be  finished  within  50  or  100  years  from  hence,  is 
of  little  importance*.  If  we  suppose  100  years,  an  an- 
nual outlay  will  be  required  of  50000  dollars,  the  col- 
lection of  which  sum,  for  the  honour  and  glory  of  God, 
would  not  fall  heavy  on  a province  which  has  enjoyed 
so  many  blessings  over  others ; and  we  may  surely 
reckon  upon  the  support  of  a government,  whose  good 
wishes  and  great  zeal  for  the  promotion  of  good  are 
known  to  every  one,  and  whose  Chief  has  distinguished 
himself,  above  all  his  contemporaries,  by  the  display 
of  a truly  pious  feeling.  Moreover,  private  contri- 
butions would  certainly  not  be  wanting,  as  soon  as 
the  determination  to  continue  the  building  were  once 
made  known.  And  it  is  one  of  the  pleasing  features 
of  the  age  we  live  in,  that  amidst  all  the  conten- 
tions of  party,  a pure  religious  feeling,  more  or  less 
powerful,  is  being  everywhere  more  and  more  strongly 
developed,  among  the  better  class  of  persons.  Do  we 
not  read  almost  every  day  of  benevolent  foundations 
of  greater  or  less  extent  ? Have  we  not  recently  seen 

* “ Great  buildings/’  says  Moller,  “ naturally  require  a great 
length  of  time  for  their  completion.  Those  who  first  undertake  them, 
must  therefore  always  reckon  upon  the  perseverance  and  steadiness 
of  their  successors.  If  the  work  still  serves  the  purpose  for  which  it 
was  originally  intended,  and  therefore  still  exists  among  living  beings, 
so  does  even  the  silent  unanimity  of  all  generations  demand,  that 
that  which  was  began  should  be  continued,  that  that  which  was  left 
unfinished  should  be  completed,  so  that  the  great  and  the  splendid 
stand  not  as  mere  fragments.” 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


207 


an  instance  in  our  own  neighbourhood,  how  a private 
individual,  formerly  a brother  of  a monastic  family, 
expended  almost  the  whole  of  his  possessions,  amount- 
ing to  33000  guilden,  which  during  a life  of  80  years 
he  had  carefully  scraped  together,  for  the  purpose  of 
founding  a church  in  his  native  village,  for  endowing 
a vicarage  in  another  village,  and  for  the  support  of 
the  poor  ? All  this  money  he  resigned  with  joyful  heart, 
and  still  continues  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  little 
school,  with  the  same  zeal  with  which  he  undertook 
them  four  and  thirty  years  ago. 

Page  234.  The  cathedral  picture,  which  is  generally 
known  to  have  been  the  altar-piece,  formerly  belonging 
to  * the  chapel  of  the  council-house,  is  spoken  of  in  the 
little  known  ct  Town  book”  of  Simon  Novellanus,  as 
follows : “ This  year  (1574)  the  town  house  has  been 
adorned  most  splendidly  with  a gallery  or  Moenian , built 
by  skilful  masters,  with  much  diligence  and  excellent 
workmanship,  resting  upon  16  pillars  (hewn  out  of 
hard  black  marble  and  in  one  piece).  It  has  beautiful 
arches  under  and  above,  and  in  the  middle  height,  a 
convenient  promenade : it  was  not  finished  without  con- 
siderable expense.  Directly  opposite  this  is  a chapel, 
which  in  former  times  was  a Jews’  synagogue  or  school, 
but  in  the  year  of  Christ  1426,  it  was  consecrated  to 
the  honour  of  the  most  holy  Virgin  Mary,  and  named 
Jerusalem.  In  this  chapel  there  is  an  altar-piece,  so 
skilfully  painted,  that  even  the  most  experienced  painters 
cannot  sufficiently  praise  it,  and  are  quite  taken  by 
surprise  on  seeing  it.”  It  follows  from  this,  that  the 
picture  was  most  probably  designed  for  the  chapel,  and 


208  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 

consequently  executed  about  1426 ; which  becomes  still 
more  probable,  by  comparing  it  with  the  before-men- 
tioned wall  picture,  at  the  tomb  of  Archbishop  Cuno,  at 
St  Castor’s,  in  Coblentz,  built  probably  after  1388.  No 
date  is  to  be  found  upon  it,  but  on  one  of  its  wings  a 
very  plain  M is  to  be  seen,  and  on  another  wing,  just 
as  distinct,  an  N,  an  O,  and  an  X ; only  that  in  the 
former,  the  hyphen,  or  uniting  stroke,  is  drawn  from 
below  upwards,  and  not  as  is  usual,  from  above  down- 
wards. There  seems  no  good  reason  why  the  painter 
should  not  be  as  well  named  M.  NOX,  as  William  or 
Stephen,  since  the  records  of  Cologne  do  not  mention 
any  one  of  them ; but  the  Limburg  Chronicle  makes 
mention  of  master  William  so  early  as  1380*,  and  as 
in  Albert  Durer’s  account  of  his  journey,  the  place 
where  he  saw  the  picture  is  not  distinctly  stated,  it  may 
therefore  have  been  at  any  other  place,  as  well  as  here. 
If  the  painter  of  this  splended  picture  were  indeed  named 
M.  NOX,  which  no  one  will  hold  for  impossible,  on 
account  of  its  being  an  uncommon  name,  it  must  ap- 
pear as  a peculiar  trick  of  fate,  that  people  will  dis- 
pute about  the  artist’s  name,  when  he  has  so  plainly  set 
it  before  their  eyes,  in  the  foreground  of  his  picture, 
a thing  which  scarcely  any  other  artist  has  done. 

Page  235.  St  Mary’s  church,  in  the  Capitol,  is 
worthy  of  especial  attention.  Its  plan-)-  is  doubtless  the 
finest  of  all ; and  we  know  of  only  one  that  can  at- 
tempt to  rival  it,  and  that  is  its  namesake,  standing 

* “ Item,  two  silver  pennies  have  been  given  to  enlarge  the  table, 
which  Master  Stephen  of  Cologne  has  made.” 

t See  Boisseree  Plate  2,  as  also  from  Plate  3 to  9,  for  complete 
plans  and  drawings  of  the  beautiful  tower  at  the  northern  entrance. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


209 


near  the  cathedral  at  Treves,  and  built  from  1222  to 
1243.  That  St  Plectrudis  about  the  year  700  built  a 
church  on  this  site,  is  certainly  true ; but  if  there  is 
any  such  thing  as  architectural  history,  it  has  nothing 
to  do  with  the  present  church ; which,  according  to  its 
whole  style,  more  especially  on  account  of  the  remark- 
able pillars  behind  the  organ,  may  be  referred,  at  the 
earliest,  to  the  year  1000;  as  also  the  tomb  of  the 
foundress,  built  in  the  wall  at  the  outside  of  the  choir, 
evidently  belongs  to  a still  later  period.  Historical 
data  certainly  are  wanting  here,  as  also  with  so  many 
other  Cologne  monuments;  at  least  up  to  the  present 
time  nothing  has  been  discovered  respecting  it,  only  that 
Archbishop  Bruno  (who  died  965)  left  by  will  100 
guldens  for  the  completion  of  the  cloister,  of  which 
however  only  a few  pillars  now  stand,  and  that  after 
1637  the  iron  ring  was  put  about  the  choir.  Accord- 
ing to  all  accounts,  the  nave  had  originally  a wooden 
ceiling  ; the  arch-work  may  belong  to  the  fourteenth 
century : many  infallible  signs  prove  that  the  triple 

choir  and  the  nave  are  not  contemporary.  The  report 
that  Archbishop  Anno  transplanted  hither  (1057)  the 
collegiate  foundation  of  Dortmund,  is  founded  on  a mis- 
take; for  this  event  relates  to  the  church  of  Maria 
ad  Gradus , built  by  him,  but,  alas ! pulled  down.  The 
beautiful  crypt  contains  some  remarkable  fresco  paint- 
ings, and  is  in  a most  unbecoming  manner  let  as  a 
warehouse.  We  may  mention,  as  being  worthy  of  at- 
tention, the  southern  choir  chapel,  endowed  1460  by 
the  Hardenrath  family,  (which  also  caused  to  be  made 
the  perforated  choir-walls,)  the  northern  chapel  with  its 
15 


210  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


hanging  network  of  ribs  (St  Leonhard,  at  Frankfort  has  a 
similar  one),  an  elegant  oratory,  bronze  baptismal  ewers 
or  beakers,  and  a picture  bearing  the  mark  of  Durer; 
the  organ-loft,  composed  in  1 625  out  of  the  remains 
of  a chapel,  or  rather  of  a rood-loft  (lettner);  and  lastly, 
the  fine  old  paintings  on  glass,  and  the  various  tomb- 
stones placed  at  the  west  end,  extending  back  to  the 
earliest  times  of  Christianity. 

Page  237.  St  Geheon  (see  Boisseree,  Plates  6l  to  63), 
the  date  of  whose  erection  is  various  for  the  various  parts, 
is  also  a pearl  of  church  architecture.  Its  date  may  be 
discovered  with  tolerable  accuracy,  and  thus  becomes  of 
much  importance  as  regards  the  history  of  the  art. 
St  Helena,  about  the  year  320,  built  a church  here, 
which  in  595  was  named  after  the  Golden  Martyrs,  pro- 
bably because  this  church,  like  many  others  of  that 
period,  contained  mosaic  pictures  on  gold  ground.  In 
a poem  of  one  Venantius  Fortunatus,  dedicated  (about 
570)  to  the  Bishop  Carentius,  he  is  celebrated  as  the 
restorer  of  golden  temples.  It  appears,  therefore,  that 
changes  had  already  taken  place  about  that  time,  or  at 
all  events  after  the  destructive  incursion  of  the  Normans 
about  882.  The  older  part  of  the  crypt,  between  the 
decagon  and  the  towers,  with  the  superimposed  middle 
choir,  may  belong  to  the  restorations,  which,  in  the 
tenth  century,  followed  the  incursion  of  the  Normans. 
Its  vaulted  roof  must  be  excepted ; for  this  was  renewed 
after  a falling  in,  which  took  place  in  the  year  1434. 
These  towers,  together  with  the  choir  niches,  and  the 
crypt  under  it,  were  built  by  Archbishop  Anno,  who 
in  1067  consecrated  the  chapels  near  the  crypt,  in  1068 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


211 


the  crypt  itself,  and  in  1069  the  restored  church.  The 
towers,  the  choir,  and  the  newer  crypt,  belong  therefore 
undoubtedly  to  this  time;  and  the  roof  only  of  the 
latter  was  renewed,  as  already  stated,  in  1434 ; and  this 
is  moreover  plainly  proved  by  comparing  the  pillars  of 
the  crypt  with  the  older  pilasters.  In  this  building  by 
Anno,  we  may  remark  that  the  corner  leaves  (Eck- 
blatter)  of  the  pedestals  consist  of  mere  rough  lumps, 
and  are  sometimes  absent  altogether,  and  the  capitals 
are  of  simple  and  somewhat  rude  form.  As  regards 
the  church  itself,  it  was  begun  in  1212 ; finished  to- 
gether with  its  spherical  roof  in  1227 ; the  sacristy  built 
in  1316;  and  in  1683  the  present  painting  and  gilding 
of  the  interior  of  the  church  commenced. 

Page  236.  The  view- of  the  Apostle’s  Church  from 
the  New  Market,  is  really  fine  and  artistical:  the  church 
itself  is  of  the  finest  class:  it  is  moreover  of  much  import- 
ance to  the  history  of  architecture,  as  affording  another 
proof  that  the  most  flourishing  period  of  the  round- 
arch  style  must  be  referred  to  about  the  year  1200. 
The  building  of  a church  was  commenced  here  by 
Archbishop  Heribert  1021,  and  his  successor  Piligrin 
finished  it  1035  ; but  it  was  burnt  in  1099,  and  again 
in  1199.  The  present  church  was  built  after  the  last 
burning,  and  nothing  appears  to  have  been  left  of  the 
older  one,  except  the  lower  part  of  the  principal  tower, 
and  those  adjoining  portions,  the  mason-work  of  which 
consists  of  squared  stone.  That  this  is  the  case,  ap- 
pears plain  from  the  words  of  Gelenius*,  whose  testi- 

* Est  vero  nec  ista  basilica,  quae  nostro  aero  exstat,  Heriberti- 
num  opus,  sed  recentius  post  incendium  quod  sub  Adolpho  primo 

referemus 

15—2 


212  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


mony  is  the  more  credible,  since  his  brother  was  dean  of 
the  foundation  to  which  the  church  belonged.  Cesarius 
also,  who  wrote  his  dialogues  1222,  relates  (Book  viii. 
c.  63),  that  a rich  man,  whose  name  he  mentions,  having 
heard  of  the  destruction  of  the  church  by  fire,  consi- 
dered within  himself  that  sin  was  certainly  very  heavy, 
but  that  large  building  materials  must  be  heavier : if 
therefore  he  presented  such  materials  for  the  purposes 
of  the  new  building  of  the  church,  the  holy  apostle 
would  on  the  day  of  judgment  put  these  together  with 
his  good  works  in  one  scale,  which  would  certainly  lift 
up  the  one  laden  with  his  sins.  It  is  said  that  he 
accordingly  procured  considerable  quantities  of  these 
building  materials  to  be  taken  to  the  spot,  and  that 
they  were  used  in  the  foundation  of  the  building.  The 
nave  of  this  building  appears  to  have  had  a wooden 
roof ; and  at  the  erection  of  the  vaults  the  simple 
columns  were  strengthened  with  pilasters  and  pillars,  as 
may  be  clearly  observed  by  a little  attentive  considera- 
tion of  the  structure.  According  to  an  inscription  upon 
a sarcophagus  (not  in  existence  now)  containing  the 
relics  of  St  Ursula  in  the  choir  of  this  church,  it  is 
said  to  have  been  vaulted  in  1219:  but  this  may 

referemus  sedificatum.  Gelenius  de  admiranda  sacra  et  civili  mag- 
nitudine  Coloniae.  Cologne,  1645,  page  295.  On  reading  this  ex- 
cellent account  of  all  the  ecclesiastical  buildings  situated  in  that 
place,  we  find  two  causes  for  regret  -—first,  the  want  of  all  and 
every  architectural  criticism,  since  in  every  part  of  Gelen,  where 
his  Archives  do  not  clearly  assign  a later  date  to  a building  with- 
out further  inquiry,  he  assigns  to  it  the  older  date.  But,  secondly , 
it  is  more  to  be  lamented,  when  we  read  the  descriptions  of  the 
enormous  quantities  of  treasures  of  art  which  the  churches  there 
possessed,  and  know  hut  too  well  by  what  wretched  means  they 
have  been  entirely  lost. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


213 


only  refer  to  the  arches  of  this  choir,  since  the  rest  ap- 
pears to  belong  to  a later  period. 

Page  237.  St  Cunibert  (see  Boisseree,  Plates  67 
to  72)  is  of  no  less  importance  in  the  history  of  architec- 
ture. An  older  one,  or,  as  the  chronicle  says,  a “ per- 
magnifica”  church  was  built  by  the  Archbishop  of  this 
name  towards  633 , and  consecrated  to  St  Clemens.  Arch- 
bishop Conrad  erected  in  its  stead  the  present  one,  and 
consecrated  it  in  1248  (the  same  year  in  which  he  laid 
the  foundation  stone  of  the  cathedral),  and  dedicated 
it  to  the  founder,  who  from  that  time  was  numbered 
among  the  saints.  The  high  western  tower  with  the 
adjoining  transept  rested  upon  very  light  walls,  yet 
notwithstanding  an  enlargement  undertaken  by  Bishop 
Wichbold  of  Culm,  in  the  year  1378,  they  supported 
the  tower  during  450  years;  their  downfall,  a few  years 
ago,  may  most  probably  be  attributed  to  the  vigorous 
ringing  of  the  bells,  as  practised  in  later  times *.  The 
upper  part  of  this  tower  will  probably  not  be  rebuilt, 
and  it  would  be  well  if  the  wooden  ceiling  intended  for 
the  proposed  transept  were  omitted  also.  If  its  arches 
have  safely  supported  a tower,  the  masonry  work  of 
which  extends  to  a height  of  70  feet  during  so  long  a 

* It  was  evidently  not  the  weight  of  such  a peal  of  bells  that 
injured  the  towers,  but  the  vibration  occasioned  by  the  ringing. 
Unless  the  frame  supporting  the  bells  be  tolerably  high  and  some- 
what elastic,  the  shaking  of  its  basis  becomes  so  powerful  that  it 
is  imparted  to  the  masonry  work.  Frequently,  very  frequently, 
do  we  see  that  the  upper  part  of  the  frame  is  propped  by  means 
of  struts  and  wedges,  whereby  every  swinging  of  the  bell  exerts  a 
powerful  thrust  against  the  walls,  which  the  strongest  masonry 
cannot,  in  the  end,  withstand ; and  by  means  of  which  a large 
number  of  towers  have  fallen  down. 


214  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


period,  they  will  certainly  be  able  to  support  a light 
vaulting.  A wooden  ceiling  would  certainly  be  dis- 
creditable to  the  whole  corporation  of  builders,  as  also 
to  our  contemporaries : it  would  appear,  on  the  one  hand, 
as  if  the  architects  and  builders  were  incapable  of  exe- 
cuting such  an  arched  roof,  and  on  the  other  hand,  that 
the  trifling  cost  of  such  a work  were  grudged.  We  may 
also  hope  that  the  west  towers  may  hereafter  be  furnished 
with  their  old  slender  spires.  The  small  gallery  in  the 
choir  has  precisely  the  same  small  columns  as  the  deca- 
gon at  St  Gereon’s;  another  proof  of  the  trifling  dif- 
ference with  respect  to  the  date  of  both. 

Page  238.  St  Peter,  a very  elegant  church,  built 
about  1524,  possesses,  besides  the  well-known  disagree- 
able picture  by  Rubens,  remarkably  good  glass  paintings 
of  1528  and  1539;  also  a metal  baptismal  basin  of  1569. 
The  adjoining  cloister  with  its  wooden  ceiling  will  show 
every  sensible  man  how  agreeable  an  impression  may  be 
conveyed  by  the  most  simple  construction. 

St  Cecelia,  directly  opposite,  belonging  to  the  ad- 
joining hospital,  has  in  later  times  been  used  as  a flour 
warehouse.  It  were  much  to  be  desired  that  it  were 
given  up  to  the  hospital,  and  restored  for  the  purpose 
of  a chapel,  which  every  hospital  needs.  It  is,  moreover, 
a remarkably  pure  specimen  of  the  style  of  1200 : it  has 
an  older,  and  though  scarcely  known,  yet  remarkable 
portal  in  its  interior;  also  an  iron  bell  having  precisely 
the  form  of  the  Cow-bells  (so  called)  : at  the  oval  edge 
the  width  is  13^  inches,  and  8^,  by  15^  inches  high. 
It  consists  of  three  plates  ri vetted  with  copper  nails, 
and  is  said  to  have  been  routed  out  of  a pit  formerly 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


215 


near  the  church,  by  a sow  in  the  year  613 : it  was 
baptized  by  the  then  ruling  Archbishop  Cunibert,  and 
must  be  of  very  great  age. 

St  Ursula. — Although  founded  in  very  old  times, 
yet  the  present  nave,  and  more  especially  the  hall  under 
the  tower,  so  greatly  resemble  St  Mauritius  built  in  1144, 
that  these  two  must  be  contemporaries.  We  have  au- 
thentic information  that  Archbishop  Bruno  had  in  1135 
consecrated  an  altar  in  that  hall  (in  portion) : on  the 
other  hand,  the  choir  and  the  attached  southern  nave 
are  of  much  later  date;  as  also  the  arched  vaulting  of 
the  middle  nave,  which  probably  superseded  an  older 
ceiling  of  wood.  Its  interior  contains  some  elegant 
details,  and  some  very  old  pictures,  very  much  injured 
by  the  wretched  attempts  made  to  restore  them. 

Page  238.  St  Severin,  founded  so  early  as  378, 
received  the  addition  of  an  oratory  by  Archbishop  Wich- 
bold  in  984;  and  in  1056  Archbishop  Hermann  com- 
pleted some  other  buildings  which  his  predecessors  had 
commenced.  Archbishop  Hermann  III.  (who  died  1099) 
appears  also  to  have  done  something  to  the  buildings. 
From  him  may  probably  originate  the  oldest  part  of  the 
church,  viz.  the  transept : the  choir  is  of  later  date ; 
still  later  is  the  nave;  and  the  most  recent  is  the  beau- 
tiful western  tower,  built  from  1394  to  1411. 

Page  239-  The  Jesuits’  Church,  or  the  Church  of 
the  Virgin’s  Ascension,  deserves  to  be  called  really  mag- 
nificent. Few  contain  so  artistical  a plan  and  such  happy 
proportions.  This  church  was  begun  in  1621,  after  the 
destruction  of  a former  one  by  fire,  it  was  consecrated 
in  1629  (the  adjoining  college  1631),  and  displays,  in 


216  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


addition  to  the  style  of  that  period,  a great  many  pecu- 
liarities in  the  pointed  arch. 

St  Pantaleon  was  begun  in  966  by  Archbishop 
Bruno.  The  materials  of  the  Roman  bridge,  which  had 
been  pulled  down,  and  also  of  the  castle  at  Deuz,  were 
used  in  the  construction  of  this  church.  It  was  con- 
secrated by  Archbishop  Warin  in  98O.  The  present 
church,  disfigured  in  various  ways,  may  be  of  later 
date:  of  the  church  consecrated  in  980  there  probably 
remains  the  lower  part  of  the  great  tower  with  the  ad- 
joining under  and  upper  chapels;  as  the  interior,  as  well 
as  the  high  capitals  over  the  pilasters  at  the  outer  walls 
of  the  northern  gable,  which  is  visible  from  the  adjoining 
penitentiary,  lead  one  to  suppose.  As  it  is  common  in 
Roman  vaultings  to  find  layers  of  brick  alternating  with 
quarried  and  hewn  stones,  so  also  is  it  here  the  case 
between  the  tufa  wall-work.  The  Author  has  no  where 
in  Cologne  noticed  a similar  construction : he  therefore 
assumes  this  building  to  be  the  oldest  in  that  place  be- 
longing to  the  Christian  era.  The  vaulting  of  the  church, 
as  also  the  heightening  of  the  tower,  were  done  in  1620, 
by  the  Abbot  Henry  Spichernagel. 

Page  240.  Great  St  Martin  (see  Boisseree,  Plates 
10  to  15),  also  one  of  the  finest  churches  in  Cologne, 
is  neither  the  original  one,  nor  the  one  restored  by 
Archbishop  Bruno  in  959 : nay,  even  the  towers  which 
Archbishop  Anno  added  to  the  choir  in  1072  have  dis- 
appeared ; thus  affording  the  clearest  proof  that  the  pre- 
sent bold  tower  must  be  of  later  date.  Such  is  really 
the  case,  since  it  is  coeval  with  the  church,  and  was 
built  by  Abbot  Gottschalk  (1152  to  1173),  while  the 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


217 


church  was  consecrated  by  Archbishop  Philip,  1172.  The 
nave  appears  originally  to  have  had  a wooden  roof,  and 
the  present  vaulting  seems  to  have  been  built  on  a 
smaller  scale  after  the  great  fire  of  1478.  The  tower 
belongs  to  the  boldest  class,  as  appears  by  the  ground- 
plan  given  by  Boisseree.  After  the  before-mentioned  fire 
it  remained  150  years  without  roof ; until  a merchant  of 
the  place,  Ewald  von  Bacharach,  bequeathed  the  money 
necessary  to  its  construction.  The  beautiful  baptismal 
font  is  by  no  means  antique;  but,  judging  from  the  style 
of  its  decorations,  it  appears  to  be  rather  of  later  than 
of  older  date  than  the  church. 

The  present  Protestant  church,  formerly  St  An- 
thony’s, was  consecrated  by  Archbishop  Frederick  1384, 
although  Archbishop  Wichbold  already  in  1298  had  in- 
vited this  order  hither  from  France. 

St  George  (see  Boisseree,  Plates  21  to  24),  built 
by  Archbishop  Anno,  who  has  been  already  mentioned 
under  the  head  St  Gereon : the  church  was  built  in  the 
beginning  of  his  reign,  towards  1060;  the  chapel  in 
the  great  tower  towards  the  end  of  his  reign  ; at  its 
consecration  in  1074,  a tumult  arose  among  the  citizens 
of  Cologne,  and  Anno  was  expelled  the  city,  because 
it  was  believed  that  he  was  going  to  build  a citadel 
close  to  the  gate  of  the  then  existing  Cologne ; and  this 
surmise  seems  not  to  have  been  unreasonable ; for  the 
over  strong  walls  of  this  baptismal  chapel  appear  to  be 
nothing  less  than  the  foundation  of  a high  strong  fort- 
tower.  Formerly  the  church  was  not  vaulted;  and  if  any 
one  will  take  a little  trouble  to  step  upon  the  vaulting, 
he  will  not  only  see  the  decoration  of  the  side  walls, 


218  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


originally  free  towards  the  church,  but  will  also  see  with 
some  surprise  upon  the  painting  the  well-known  mean- 
dering line  painted  gray  on  gray  (grau  in  grau),  and 
serving  as  a frieze  to  the  former  wooden  roof.  At  the 
time  of  the  vaulting  the  light  pillars  which  support 
these  walls  being  considered  too  weak  for  the  vaulting, 
pillars  were  erected  between  some  of  the  arcades,  by 
means  of  which  the  present  elegant  alternation  of  large 
and  small  arch  originated.  The  baptismal  chapel  may 
be  considered  as  an  excellent  specimen  of  the  round-arch 
style.  The  capitals  of  the  columns,  which  appear  at 
Gereon  on  the  parts  built  scarcely  ten  years  before, 
still  in  a rude  lumpy  form,  are  found  here  most  excel- 
lently decorated.  But  we  are  sorry,  very  sorry  to  say, 
that  in  recent  times  all  this  has  been  painted  over. 

Page  241.  St  Columba,  belonging  to  the  fifteenth 
century,  has  many  peculiarities,  and  much  boldness  and 
elegance  in  the  disposition  of  its  arches. 

Of  the  Church  of  the  Minorites,  it  is  indeed 
known  that  the  Order  came  to  Cologne  in  1220,  and  that 
their  Church  was  consecrated  in  1260,  which  however  can- 
not be  the  present  one.  It  has  the  most  elegant  of  all 
wooden  towers  in  Cologne.  A similar  smaller  one  oc- 
curs upon  the  before-mentioned  Mary  Chapel  opposite 
the  Council-house,  and  is  also  worth  seeing. 

St  Andreas  belongs  also  to  the  many  objects  worthy 
of  attention  in  exuberant  Colonia.  Its  original  name 
was  St  Matthew  in  fossa.  Its  foundation  is  ascribed 
by  Gelenius,  one  of  its  canons,  to  the  holy  Maternus, 
a second  one  is  ascribed  to  Archbishop  Willibert : a 
third  church  was  consecrated  by  Archbishop  Gero,  in 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


219 


978.  Even  of  this  one  nothing  now  remains ; for  the 
nave  displays  in  the  forms  and  dispositions  of  its  pillars 
a perfect  similarity  with  St  Castor  of  Coblentz,  and 
may  date  from  after  the  great  fire  of  1220 : the  high 
light  choir,  was  erected  1414  by  the  same  Archbishop 
Theoderick,  from  whom  originated  the  before-mentioned 
Franciscan  church  at  Andernach. 

St  Mauritius,  a small  church,  and,  with  few  ex- 
ceptions, consisting  almost,  as  it  were,  of  one  piece ; built 
upon  arches,  and  without  any  kind  of  buttresses*.  Its 

* There  are  so  many  old  churches  in  the  round-arch  or  Roman 
style,  without  buttresses,  and  which  in  later  times  were  vaulted, — as 
also  others  which  at  their  foundation  were  destined  to  be  furnished 
with  them,  but  nevertheless  do  not  possess  them, — that  their  general 
erection,  on  the  introduction  of  the  pointed  style,  cannot  have  origi- 
nated, in  the  belief  that  they  were  absolutely  necessary,  since  it 
was  sufficiently  well  known,  then  as  now,  that  high  pointed  cross 
arches  exert  a smaller  thrust  in  proportion  than  round  arches ; — 
their  introduction  manifestly  originated  in  the  desire,  not  only  to 
avoid  large  blank  surfaces  of  walls,  but  also  to  make  every  thing 
lofty  and  transparent ; in  which  case  it  was  of  course  necessary  to 
secure  the  proper  stability  by  means  of  masses  of  wall  placed  trans- 
versely, from  which  were  carried  flying  buttresses,  for  giving  suffi- 
cient resistance  to  the  point  of  pressure  of  the  great  vaults  of  the 
church-nave,  over  the  light  pierced  galleries,  which  in  England  are 
called  triforium.  Moreover,  these  flying  buttresses  have  been  found 
superfluous  in  the  most  recent  restorations  at  the  cathedral.  It  was 
necessary  to  remove  them  in  order  to  restore  the  weather-worn 
parts,  and  in  doing  so,  they  were  found  to  be  standing  quite  loose  and 
tottering,  and  had  consequently  no  supporting  power. 

Also,  with  respect  to  the  later  mode  of  building  churches,  with 
three  naves  of  almost  equal  height  under  one  and  the  same  roof, 
separated  by  slender  pillars,  we  may  remark,  that  in  attentively 
considering  such  a simple  construction,  buttresses,  whether  external 
or  internal,  are  quite  superfluous.  The  side  wall  resists  the  thrust 
of  the  vault  over  the  narrow  side  aisles,  by  the  power  which  it  has 
from  a suitable  height  and  weight.  To  strengthen  it  with  a view 
to  its  resisting  the  pressure  of  the  large  middle  vault,  would  therefore 
be  quite  superfluous,  as  it  can  never  exert  any  influence  upon  it. 
Were  this  even  to  move,  it  must  of  necessity  lift  up  the  light 

vaulting 


220  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


date,  1144,  being  well  ascertained,  this  church  is  of  especial 
value  to  the  history  of  art.  We  still  see  here  the  plain 
pillars  with  cubical  capitals,  which,  like  every  thing  here, 
were  kept  simple  probably  for  want  of  money.  There  are 
also  elegant  little  towers  (the  more  recent  one  may  be 
said  to  be  quite  new),  and  every  thing  is  well  adapted. 

Of  Maria  Lyskirciien  we  know  scarcely  any  thing; 
but,  according  to  all  its  characteristics,  it  seems  contem- 
porary with  St  Cunibert.  The  exterior  front  displays 
one  of  the  finest  portals,  similar  to  those  at  Great  St 
Martin  and  St  Gereon,  and  was  excelled  only  by  that  one 
at  St  Cunibert,  which,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  is  destroyed. 

Page  242.  The  Ursulines’  Church,  built  about 
1705,  in  the  Italian  style,  must  not  remain  unnoticed. 
This  church  stands  very  conveniently  in  Cologne  for 
enabling  one  to  form  a proper  estimate  of  the  value 
of  that  style. 

Page  243.  We  have  already  spoken  of  the  newer 
part  of  the  Town-hall  in  our  remarks  on  the  subject  of 
the  Cathedral  picture.  Respecting  the  building  of  the 
fine  tower-like  repository  for  the  archives,  there  still  exists 
the  following  record  of  the  Council  for  the  year  1406, 
with  the  indorsement,  “ Concerning  the  Council  Tower P 
“ Item.  Our  lords  of  the  council  have  agreed  to  erect 

vaulting  of  the  aisles,  and  fracture  or  separate  it,  before  it  could  press 
the  external  walls  out  of  the  perpendicular.  This  thrust  of  the 
middle  vault  must  therefore  be  sustained  by  very  different  means ; 
for  which  purpose  a massive  wall  in  all  times  has  been  imposed  upon 
the  piers,  and  is,  moreover,  loaded  with  the  greater  part  of  the  roof. 
That  buttresses  continue  to  be  used,  arises  from  habit ; but  that  some 
of  the  more  sagacious  architects  in  olden  times  knew  them  to  be 
unnecessary,  is  proved  by  so  many  of  the  Jesuits’  churches,  as  well 
as  the  before-described  church  of  St  Peter,  at  Mentz. 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


221 


an  archive  building  adjoining  the  town-hall,  for  the  good 
of  the  town  as  well  as  for  the  common  good.  Thus  have 
our  lords  agreed  that  this  building  should  be  begun  in 
the  next  summer,  and  it  is  to  have  a cellar  for  keeping 
the  wine  of  the  town,  a council-chamber,  a strong  room 
for  the  privileges  of  the  town,  and  also  a chamber  upon 
arches  for  the  use  of  the  town.”  Concordatum  anno 
quo  supra , feria  quinta  post  assumptionem  beatce 
Mar  ice. 

The  clerks  having  with  this  accomplished  their  busi- 
ness, the  workmen  now  began  the  building:  they  did 
as  much  every  year  as  means  would  allow,  and  executed 
their  work  as  well  as  it  could  be  done  ; and  proceeded 
very  quietly  until  the  building  was  completed,  to  the 
honour  of  its  master,  to  whose  honour  it  may  yet  long 
redound.  It  may  be  doubted  whether  it  was  completed 
so  early  as  1414:  but  in  later  times  the  repair  of  the 
building  was  neglected ; several  sculptures  in  stone, 
injured  by  the  weather,  fell  down;  and  already,  in  the 
latter  half  of  the  philosophical  century,  the  pictures  as 
well  as  the  gallery  and  the  upper  roof  were  pulled  down. 
The  opposite  building  belonging  to  the  Town-hall  was 
begun  in  1608 : the  time  when  the  beautiful  Hanseatic 
hall  was  built  is,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  unknown. 

Page  244.  The  house  Giirxenich  was  begun  in 
1441  ; and,  according  to  a record  of  the  council  of  the 
11th  December  1474,  was  completed  at  an  expense  of 
about  80,000  gulden.  It  contains  in  the  lower  part  the 
Merchant-house ; in  the  upper  part  a large  hall  175  feet 
long,  70 1 feet  broad,  and  24  feet  high,  with  richly  deco- 


222  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


rated  chimneys.  It  was  called  Dantz  Huiss  Giir- 
zenich  tzo  Coellen . 

Page  245.  The  Arsenal  is  a solid,  well  constructed 
building,  of  the  year  1601.  The  Clara  Tower,  as  it 
is  called,  as  also  a similar  one  near  St  Mauritius,  may 
be  of  Roman  workmanship,  but  certainly  belonging  to 
the  latest  and  worst  period. 

Page  246.  The  beautiful  Bergen  Tower  at  the 
upper  end  of  the  town  cannot  probably  be  ascribed  to 
Archbishop  Christopher  Von  Bergen ; since  in  the  whole 
collection  of  archbishops  there  is  to  be  found  neither 
a Christopher  nor  a Von  Bergen.  This  together  with 
another  tower  was  erected  by  Archbishop  Engelbert  II., 
named  Ryle,  126l.  Both  were  taken  by  force  of  arms 
by  the  citizens  in  the  skirmish  which  occurred  in  1262  ; 
one  of  these  was  demolished  in  later  times ; and  the 
other  was  restored  a considerable  time  afterwards.  The’ 
under  part  consisting  of  squared  stones  ( werstucken ), 
belongs,  apparently,  to  the  older  building,  but  the  upper 
part,  judging  by  its  profiles,  belongs  manifestly  to  a 
much  later  period,  perhaps  about  the  ]4th  century. 

The  Foss  of  the  town  was  begun  in  1181 : the  walls 
and  towers  were  erected  in  1187-  On  this  subject  a 
dispute  arose  with  Archbishop  Philip,  which  however 
was  settled  in  1188;  but  in  order  that  right  might  at 
least  remain  right,  it  was  ordered  that  four  walls  should 
be  pulled  down.  The  tomb  (see  Boisseree,  Plate  38) 
of  this  Archbishop  Philip  (who  died  1191)  in  the  Cathe- 
dral appears  on  that  account  to  be  decorated  with  walls 
and  towers,  as  well  as  with  the  armorial  bearings  of  the 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


223 


town.  The  city-towers  and  gates  were  already  erected 
at  that  time,  as  we  find  by  the  complaint  of  Archbishop 
Engelbert  II.  1262,  that  the  citizens  had  taken  them 
away  from  him.  Most  of  the  gates  might,  however,  be 
referred  to  later  times.  The  erection  of  the  gate  in  the 
street  of  Bonn  as  a bulwark  ( propugnaculum ) for  St 
Severin  is  at  least  mentioned  in  the  year  1469.  The 
oldest  is  undoubtedly  the  Rhinegate. 

Lastly,  we  have  to  mention  the  fine  old  houses  in  the 
Rhinestrasse,  (No.  8,  see  Boisseree,  Plates  3 4 to  36).  A 
similar  one  in  the  old  market  No.  48  ; and,  above  all,  the 
extremely  elegant  house  of  Mr  Etzweiler  named  am  Hof  \ 
and  which  at  present  certainly  deserve  to  be  called  the 
most  beautiful  in  Cologne.  Also  the  knightly  house 
with  a slender  little  tower  peculiar  to  houses  of  this 
description ; it  is  numbered  5518,  near  St  Mauritius. 
Also  another,  No.  7 285,  in  the  Ulrichsgasse.  Another,  No. 
5313,  in  Benesisstrasse.  Also  No.  4798,  in  the  New  Market. 
Also  some  similar  ones  belonging  to  later  times*.  Many 
others,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  have  disappeared.  Finally, 
there  are  numerous  houses  which  ought  not  to  remain 
unnoticed,  and  which  were  erected  about  1600  : they  are 
distinguished  by  windows  placed  in  juxtaposition  over 
the  whole  front,  with  heavy  gables  resting  on  light 
window-posts. 

Whoever  desires  to  obtain  general  information  re- 

* The  Supplement  of  the  Cologne  Journal  (Kolnische  Zeitung) 
for  the  year  1885,  Nos.  IV.  to  IX.,  contains  a full  description  of  it. 
We  should  be  very  glad  if  the  work  mentioned  in  No.  VII.  on  the 
former  condition  of  Cologne,  were  encouraged  to  the  fullest  extent,  in 
order  that  the  rich  collections  of  the  three  worthy  editors  may 
become  generally  known. 


224  ARCHITECTURAL  AND  HISTORICAL 


specting  the  history  of  this  large  and  remarkable  town, 
will  find  it  well  and  briefly  given  in  the  work  entitled 
‘‘Cologne  and  Bonn,1’  published  in  1828,  by  J.  P. 
Bachem,  at  Cologne.  In  addition  to  the  work  of 
Boisseree,  which  we  have  quoted,  there  are  some  sheets 
containing  views  of  the  most  remarkable  buildings,  by 
Weyer,  also  published  by  Bachem.  We  may  also  men- 
tion a little  book  which  no  one  ought  to  leave  unread;  it 
is  entitled,  “ Collection  of  the  Views  of  Cologne,1’  by 
Weyer,  with  aphorisms  of  its  history,  by  J.  J.  Lenzen, 
published  1827  at  Cologne,  by  J.  P.  Bachem.  One  may 
learn  moreover  by  this  book  what  a great  deal  linguists 
can  prove. 

The  foregoing  remarks  comprise  pretty  well  all  that 
the  Author  has  collected  respecting  the  buildings  from 
Mayence  to  Cologne.  May  they  induce  others  who 
have  more  time  and  means  at  command  to  apply  them 
both  to  the  same  purpose  ! Respecting  the  monuments 
of  the  upper  and  lower  Rhine,  as  also  of  the  Moselle, 
he  has  collected  a good  deal  of  information,  but  it  is  too 
scanty  and  incomplete  to  be  included  in  these  remarks. 


The  following  table  of  the  dimensions  of  many 
churches  may  be  of  some  interest,  inasmuch  as  there 
is  no  work  containing  their  ground-plans  reduced  to 
one  scale.  The  areas  given  below  are  restricted  solely 
to  the  interiors  of  the  buildings : the  space  occupied  by 
columns  is  deducted,  as  also  that  occupied  by  sacristies, 
outer  porticoes,  and,  in  short,  all  that  space  which  is  not 
employed  for  public  worship.  The  scale  of  measurement 


REMARKS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


225 


is  the  Rhenish  foot,  equal  to  139.13  Parisian  lines,  or 
0.3138  metre:  therefore  1015  square  feet  are  equal  to  100 
square  metres.  The  largest  of  the  Egyptian  pyramids  is 
taken  as  a standard  of  comparison,  as  being  the  largest  of 
all  buildings. 

Square  feet 

The  area  of  the  largest  Egyptian  Pyramid  contains 376016 

St  Peter’s  at  Rome  151323 

Mosque  at  Cordova 129013 

Cathedral  of  Seville 90184 

Cathedral  of  Milan  87229 

St  Paul  without  Rome  75883 

Cathedral  of  Florence 63877 

Cathedral  of  Cologne  62918 

Temple  of  Concord  at  Rome 56715 

St  Sophia  at  Constantinople  56576 

Notre  Dame  at  Paris 53161 

York  Cathedral 52668 

St  Paul’s,  London 52054 

Cathedral  at  Antwerp 50442 

Cathedral  at  Spires  45615 

Minster  at  Ulm 43506 

Cathedral  at  Strasburg 41702 

St  Genevieve  at  Paris 41107 

St  Salsprie  at  Paris  40621 

Cathedral  at  Metz  38163 

Cathedral  at  Mayence 37506 

St  Stephen  in  Vienna 32400 

Westminster  in  London 32189 

Mosque  of  the  Sultan  Soliman  II.  at  Constantinople  31262 

Cathedral  at  Magdeburg  31006 

Cathedral  at  Fribourg 30101 

Frauenkirche  at  Munich  29802 

Cathedral  at  Padrebom  26833 

Cathedral  at  Como  26579 

Maria  Maggiore  at  Rome  25370 

Cathedral  at  Worms  22978 

St  Laurentius  in  Nuremburg  21730 

Church  at  Xanten 20059 

16 


226 


ARCHITECTURAL  REMARKS,  &C. 


New  St  Madelain  at  Paris  (outside  91550) 

Cloister  Church  at  Limburg  on  the  Hardt 

Maria  am  Capitol  in  Cologne  

Pantheon  at  Rome  

Cloister  Church  at  Altenberg  

St  Sebald  in  Nuremburg 

Church  of  the  Apostles  at  Cologne  

New  Catholic  Church  at  Darmstadt 

Mosque  of  the  Sultan  Achmet  at  Constantinople.... 

St  Cunibert  at  Cologne  

St  Elizabeth  in  Marburg  

Collegiate  Church  at  Oberwesel  

St  Stephen  at  Mayence  

Collegiate  Church  at  Cleves 

Monastery  Church  at  Laach 

New  Catholic  Church  at  Elberfeld  

Great  St  Martin,  Cologne 

Cathedral  of  Limburg  on  the  Lahn  

Cathedral  at  Aix  la  Chapelle  

Before  its  enlargement  by  the  addition  of  a new 

Choir  only 

St  Martin’s  in  Munstermayfeld  .. 

St  Castor  in  Coblentz  

Parish  Church  at  Ahrweiler  

St  Gereon  at  Cologne  

St  Florin  at  Coblentz 

Liebfranenkirche  at  Coblentz  

Parish  Church  at  Andernach  

New  Church  at  Treis  on  the  Moselle  

New  Church  at  Gills  on  the  Moselle  

Franciscan  Church  at  Andernach  

Jesuits’  Church  at  Coblentz 

Parish  Church  at  Sinzig  

Parish  Church  at  Mayen  

Parish  Church  at  Boppard  

Collegiate  Church  of  St  Goar  

New  Church  of  Cobern  on  the  Moselle  

New  Church  at  Valwig  on  the  Moselle  

New  Church  in  Kapellan  


Square  feet. 

19456 

19208 

19129 

19092 

18432 

17361 

15087 

14401 

14210 

13761 

12322 

12205 

12175 

12083 

11841 

11785 

10045 

9835 

9704 

7536 


9284 

8899 

8332 

8084 

7496 

6741 

6700 

6334 

6180 

5937 

5835 

5402 

5033 

4812 

4336 

4187 

2894 

2392 


NOTES 


WRITTEN  DURING  AN  ARCHITECTURAL  TOUR 


IN 


PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


INTRODUCTION 


A person  familiar  with  the  chronological  clas- 
sification of  English  Gothic  Architecture,  naturally 
wishes  to  apply  this  classification  in  other  countries. 
Besides  the  obvious  and  often- tried  problem  of  the 
origin  of  this  kind  of  architecture,  many  other  ques- 
tions offer  themselves  to  any  one  who  feels  an  in- 
terest in  ecclesiastical  edifices,  either  as  monuments 
of  antiquity  or  as  works  of  art. — Are  there  in  other 
countries  the  same  successive  styles  of  Gothic  archi- 
tecture as  here,  exhibiting  the  same  leading  cha- 
racters, distinguished  by  the  same  differences  ? — 
Are  the  same  great  leading  characteristics  accom- 
panied by  the  same  details  and  groups  of  minuter 
peculiarities?  Where  the  styles  come  in  contact, 
do  they  manifest  the  same  transitions,  the  same 
mutual  accommodations  and  imitations  as  with  us? 
And  again;  when  we  look  at  buildings  with  refer- 
ence to  their  beauty,  do  the  artists  in  the  different 
countries  appear  to  have  been  guided  by  the  same 
principles  and  the  same  feelings?  Each  of  the  three 
styles  of  English  Gothic  has  its  peculiar  kind  of 
beauty,  and  probably  each  has  its  special  votaries 
who  admire  the  masterpieces  of  their  favourite  style 
as  the  perfection  of  the  art.  Do  we  find  this  to 
be  the  case  elsewhere?  And  so  far  as  we  can  detect 


230 


INTRODUCTION. 


the  supreme  aim,  the  perfect  ideal,  of  the  genuine 
artists  of  each  of  the  English  styles,  do  we  again 
meet  with  the  same  thought,  the  same  purpose,  in 
the  great  works  of  successive  ages  on  the  continent? 
In  short,  how  close  or  how  wide  is  the  analogy  which 
obtains  in  the  principles  and  history  of  architecture 
in  different  parts  of  Europe? 

To  attempt  to  solve  these  problems  generally 
is  far  from  my  present  purpose.  But  it  gives  great 
interest  to  our  journeyings  through  countries  rich 
in  ancient  buildings,  even  to  have  such  questions 
present  to  the  thoughts;  and  it  may  perhaps  not 
he  unwelcome  to  some  persons  to  read  the  reflexions 
which  have  arisen  in  the  traveller’s  mind  when 
employed  in  such  speculations.  In  this  hope  it 
is,  that  the  following  few  pages  are  printed. 

It  may  be  very  reasonably  objected  to  the  re- 
marks which  I now  venture  to  publish,  that  they 
are  made  from  an  arbitrary  point  of  view,  namely, 
the  assumption  of  our  English  division  of  styles  as 
a basis  for  the  classification  of  other  countries;  and 
again,  that  in  order  to  learn  what  the  chronological 
succession  of  styles  has  been  in  France,  or  Ger- 
many, or  Italy,  we  must  carefully  examine  the  do- 
cumentary history  of  many  buildings  in  each  coun- 
try, and  not  form  our  opinion  of  the  relative  date, 
merely  by  examination  of  the  buildings  themselves. 
To  this  I entirely  assent;  and  I can  only  urge  in 
reply,  that  I conceived  that  a person  might  safely 


INTRODUCTION. 


231 


begin  such  an  enquiry  by  a reference  to  the  English 
styles,  provided  he  were  willing  to  give  up  the 
identity  of  the  architecture  of  this  with  other  coun- 
tries as  soon  and  as  far  as  the  facts  directed  him ; 
that  I am  well  aware  that  the  subject  requires  much 
more  labour  and  knowledge  than  I could  contribute; 
but  that  I have  done  what  my  time  and  opportu- 
nities permitted;  and  that  no  one  will  rejoice  more 
than  myself,  to  find  what  I have  put  forwards 
superseded  by  the  completer  labours  and  sounder 
views  of  persons  who  may  bring  to  this  attractive 
study  more  leisure,  talent,  and  research.  I have 
strong  hopes  that,  both  with  respect  to  Germany 
and  France,  such  a consummation  may  take  place 
at  no  remote  period. 

The  reader  must  therefore  consider  the  following 
pages  as  the  result  of  a tour  in  the  north  of  France, 
made  in  order  to  discover  and  criticise  styles  of 
architecture  resembling  the  English  styles.  The 
remarks  were  written  at  various  intervals  during 
the  tour  itself,  and  are  now  given  to  the  public 
with  only  slight  corrections,  and  the  introduction 
of  the  titles  of  the  paragraphs. 

Before  producing  these  remarks,  I will  in  a few 
words  present  the  point  of  view  from  which  they 
start.  The  ecclesiastical  edifices  in  England,  pre- 
vious to  the  revival  of  the  Italian  taste  in  the  time 
of  Elizabeth,  may  be  divided  into  four  styles,  which 
have  been  termed  Norman,  Early  English,  Deco- 


232 


INTRODUCTION. 


rated  and  Perpendicular.  The  first  of  these  styles 
is  found  prevailing  all  over  Europe,  and  is  plainly 
a debased  imitation  of  Roman  art,  whence  we  may, 
in  this  wider  view  of  it,  term  it  Romanesque.  The 
succeeding  styles  belong  to  a form  of  art  in  which 
a new  set  of  principles  reigns;  the  architecture 
which  is  thus  created,  may,  at  least  in  its  general 
features,  be  traced  over  most  parts  of  Europe,  and 
is  commonly  indicated  by  the  term  Gothic.  Even 
the  subdivisions  of  this  architecture  seem  to  offer 
themselves  to  us  in  France  and  Germany,  though 
with  some  modifications.  The  “Early  English/’ 
in  its  pure  English  form,  is  not  commonly  found 
in  those  countries:  its  place  in  the  series  of  styles 
is  taken  by  what  we  may  call  the  Early  Gothic; 
a style  which  differs  from  the  Early  English,  in 
some  respects  by  the  retention  of  Romanesque 
members,  as  the  square  abacus ; in  others  by  the 
anticipation  of  Decorated  features,  as  geometrical 
tracery.  The  Early  Gothic  was  developed  into 
the  Complete  Gothic:  but  the  existence  in  France 
of  a genuine  Decorated  style,  distinguished  both 
from  the  preceding  and  succeeding  styles,  was  a 
point  which  I considered  doubtful  when  the  fol- 
lowing tour  was  begun.  Where,  however,  it  seemed 
to  occur,  I have  called  it  French  Decorated.  The 
Perpendicular  style  does  not  occur  in  France  and 
Germany,  at  least  in  the  same  form  as  here;  those 
countries  however  possess  analogous  styles:  the  fact 


INTRODUCTION. 


233 


being  that  the  Complete  Gothic,  which  was  very 
nearly  identical  in  great  part  of  Europe,  afterwards 
broke  up  and  degenerated  into  different  shapes  in 
different  countries;  all  of  them  more  florid,  more 
complex,  and  more  feeble  than  the  preceding  style. 
The  French  style  which  stands  in  this  position  has 
been  called  by  the  antiquarians  of  that  country 
Flamboyant,  from  the  circumstance  that  the  lines 
which  form  the  tracery  of  the  windows  have  usually 
a flame-like  shape;  just  as  Mr  Rickman  has  termed 
the  English  style  Perpendicular  from  the  leading 
lines  of  its  window- tracery.  The  other  resem- 
blances and  differences  of  these  two  styles  will 
hereafter  come  under  our  notice. 

I shall  proceed,  without  further  preface,  to  the 
architectural  researches  of  my  companion  and  my- 
self. 


234 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


Abbeville  to  Amiens . 

We  began  our  speculations  with  Abbeville, 
where,  as  I knew  from  a previous  visit,  the  church 
of  St  Wulfran  has  a splendid  Flamboyant  front. 
My  companion  was  much  struck  with  it,  as  any 
person  acquainted  with  English  architecture  only 
must  be.  Indeed  I think  the  first  reflexion  which 
occurs  is,  that  the  English  never  attained  the  art 
of  making  their  Perpendicular  fronts  so  rich  and 
effective  as  this  French  one.  A pediment  between 
two  towers,  with  three  portals  below,  the  whole 
covered  with  flowing  tracery,  open  pannelling,  and 
statues  in  niches,  give  to  this  church  a very  florid 
aspect;  and  the  composition  is  very  fine  and  well 
marked;  some  parts  very  graceful,  as  for  instance 
two  staircase  turrets  at  the  internal  angles  of  the 
towers,  terminated  at  top  by  beautiful  open  crowns. 
I will  not  however  say  more  of  this  part;  for  the 
features  which  occur  here  will  be  found  in  other 
instances,  where  they  can  be  made  more  intelli- 
gible by  comparison.  The  rest  of  the  church, 
though  very  lofty  and  in  many  respects  splendid, 
is  not  worth  much  description,  being  only  the 
nave  of  the  intended  building.  The  conception 
and  proportions,  however,  seem  to  have  something 
of  that  fondness  for  inordinate  height  which  is  so 
strikingly  exemplified  in  Amiens  and  Beauvais,  as 
we  shall  presently  see. 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


23  5 


My  companion  found  at  a stall  near  the  cathe- 
dral of  Abbeville  a wretched  lithograph  of  the  west 
front,  and  along  with  this,  a similar  representation 
of  the  west  front  of  a certain  church  of  St  Ricquier, 
which,  though  of  very  different  composition,  ap- 
peared, so  far  as  any  thing  could  appear  from  such 
evidence,  to  be  a large  and  fine  church  of  the  same 
style.  Upon  enquiry,  it  turned  out  that  St  Ricquier 
was  a village  about  two  leagues  from  Abbeville 
to  the  east,  and  off  the  great  road;  but  we  re- 
solved to  take  it  on  our  route  to  Amiens,  and  set 
off  upon  our  voyage  of  discovery  accordingly. 

Our  expedition  was  eminently  successful,  for 
the  church  was  a very  splendid  and  interesting  one, 
though  we  had  never  heard  of  it  before,  and  found 
very  eminent  French  antiquaries  in  the  same  pre- 
dicament. The  west  front  was  Flamboyant  as  we 
had  supposed;  but  far  more  beautiful,  as  well  as 
more  rich,  than  anything  we  had  imagined. 

The  west  front  of  St  Ricquier  is  different  in 
its  design  from  St  Wulfran  at  Abbeville,  and  from 
most  cathedrals,  and  is  in  fact  on  a plan  more 
suited  to  a moderate-sized  church.  It  has  only 
one  tower,  which  occupies  the  center  compartment. 
This  tower,  which  of  course  makes  the  main  feature 
of  this  facade,  is  managed  with  great  skill  and 
beauty.  It  is  flanked  immediately  by  two  polygonal 
turrets  richly  pannelled,  which  end  in  crocketted 
and  pinnacled  conoids,  on  a level  with  the  bottom 


23  6 


NOTES  ON  A TOUK 


of  the  belfry  windows.  The  lower  part  of  tile 
tower  is  of  course  occupied  by  a rich  portal,  which 
has  statues  in  its  sides  and  top.  The  arch  of  this 
portal  is  surmounted  by  a canopy,  of  a kind  of  ogee 
form  peculiar  to  Flamboyant  architecture;  and  at 
a distance  above  this  (the  intervening  space  being 
occupied  by  niches  and  statues)  is  again  surmounted 
by  a triangular  canopy,  of  which  the  pinnacle  pe- 
destal rises  so  high,  that  before  it  was  broken  (as 
it  now  is)  it  must  to  the  eye  have  connected  the 
rich  pannelling  of  the  belfry  story  with  the  rich 
portal  below.  The  center  compartment  is  flanked 
by  the  ends  of  the  two  side  aisles,  which  have  also 
rich  portal  doors  and  windows  above.  The  details 
of  this  front  are  quite  exquisite;  nothing  can  pre- 
sent a finer  exhibition  of  well  arranged  and  well 
executed  splendour;  but  the  very  nature  of  the 
architecture,  consisting  as  it  does  of  so  vast  an 
accumulation  of  parts,  makes  it  impossible  to  give 
any  detailed  description  without  inextricable  con- 
fusion and  intolerable  tediousness. 

On  entering  this  fine  church  the  effect  is  very 
beautiful,  from  its  being  not  only  very  rich,  but 
almost  uniform,  clean,  and  undisfigured  by  chairs; 
for  it  is  not  generally  open,  and  has  the  floor  of  the 
nave  occupied  by  benches.  The  nave  is  Flamboy- 
ant ; and,  as  one  strong  feature  of  this  style,  it  may 
be  noticed,  that  the  triforium  string,  carrying  an 
open  parapet,  runs  round  the  vaulting  shafts  in 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


237 


polygons  which  have  concave  sides,  and  thus  forms 
a sort  of  lantern  at  each  shaft.  But  the  eye  is 
struck  by  an  apparant  anachronism  in  the  piers 
themselves,  which  consist  of  four  smaller  pillars 
engaged  in  a larger  circular  one:  this  is  a form 
which  might  be  expected  rather  in  the  earlier  period 
of  the  Gothic,  than  in  this  style,  in  which  the  piers 
are  generally  not  divided  into  pillars,  but  merely 
channelled  with  mouldings,  having  small  prismatic 
bases  at  various  heights.  On  looking  further,  we 
find  additional  symptoms  of  a mixture  of  styles. 
The  choir  has  not  the  same  appearance  of  Flam- 
boyant work  as  the  nave;  and  many  parts  of  it 
appear  on  examination  to  be  like  what  we  should 
call  Early  English,  at  least  as  high  as  the  capitals 
and  pier  arches.  For  me  who  have  seen  Amiens, 
it  is  impossible  not  to  judge  that  the  piers  and 
arches  of  this  apse  and  of  that,  belong  to  the  same 
date ; or  else  that  one  instance  was  copied  from  the 
other,  probably  this  from  Amiens ; for  the  capitals 
are  here  crumpled  foliage,  while  there  they  are  up- 
right leaves,  such  as  belong  to  the  earlier  style. 
The  geometrical  pannelling  of  the  buttresses,  which 
is  seen  inside  in  consequence  of  the  intermediate 
space  being  formed  into  chapels,  is  another  good 
mark  of  resemblance  between  the  two  buildings : 
it  is  seen  in  one  or  two  compartments,  and  where 
this  occurs,  the  vaulting  is  of  the  Early  English 
form  and  elements.  If  there  were  any  doubt  of 


238 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


the  early  style  of  this  part,  it  would  be  removed  by 
examining  the  vestry,  which  is  a room  of  very 
decided  character  inside ; and  has,  outside,  in  the 
face  of  a buttress,  Early  English  pannels,  with  the 
mouldings  and  capitals  exactly  what  they  would 
be  with  us. 

The  interior  of  the  church  of  St  Ricquier,  thus 
resolved  into  its  two  elements,  the  original  Early 
Gothic  construction  which  it  has  in  common  with 
Amiens,  and  the  Flamboyant  work  raised  upon 
this  or  adapted  to  it,  of  which  we  see  so  magnificent 
a developement  in  its  front,  is  a very  valuable  and 
interesting  specimen ; and  joined  with  what  we 
may  hope  to  see  afterwards,  will  probably  supply 
good  materials  for  the  proper  appreciation  of  both 
these  styles  of  French  church  architecture. 

The  road  from  St  Ricquier  to  Amiens  offers 
one  or  two  country  churches,  which  it  is  well  to 
look  at,  because  the  relation  of  country  churches 
to  large  and  elaborate  cathedrals,  is  in  all  Christian 
countries  interesting  and  instructive;  but  I will 
not  now  dwell  on  this  point.  Through  roads  far 
more  difficult  of  traverse  than  anything  which  in 
England  would  claim  the  title  of  road,  we  arrive 
at  a place  with  the  encouraging  name  of  Ailly  le 
Haut  Clocher;  where  there  is  a church,  upon  the 
whole  of  Early  English  character,  but  with  tracery 
in  the  windows,  apparently  contemporary,  and  with 
some  other  peculiar  features.  We  pass  another 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY.  239 

“ Haut  Clocher”  at  a place  called  Belloy : but  the 
spire  here,  though  rather  promising  at  a distance, 
turns  out  on  nearer  examination  to  be,  as  English 
eyes  would  judge,  one  of  those  vile  imitations  of 
Gothic  which  belong  to  the  early  part  of  the  last 
century,  in  which  the  only  principle  appears  to  be 
to  take  care  that  no  part  is  good  architecture  of 
any  style  then  understood.  It  is  well,  after  this 
specimen,  to  proceed  directly  to  Amiens,  where 
we  are  sure  of  finding  something  to  admire. 

Amiens . 

The  interior  of  the  cathedral  of  Amiens  is 
one  of  the  most  magnificent  spectacles  that  ar- 
chitectural skill  can  ever  have  produced.  The 
mind  is  filled  and  elevated  by  its  enormous 
height,  its  lofty  and  many-coloured  clerestory, 
its  grand  proportions,  its  noble  simplicity.  To 
a person  fresh  from  English  edifices,  this  effect 
is  combined  with  surprize  at  finding  a cathedral 
so  complete  and  impressive,  and  yet  in  many 
respects  so  different  from  the  familiar  type  of 
English  cathedrals.  The  proportion  of  height  to 
breadth  is  almost  double  of  that  to  which  we  are 
accustomed : the  lofty  solid  piers  which  bear  up 
this  height  are  far  more  massive  in  their  plan 
than  the  light  and  graceful  clusters  of  our  English 
churches,  each  of  them  being,  as  I have  said,  a 
cylinder  with  four  engaged  columns : the  polygonal 


£40 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


east  apse  is  a feature  which  we  seldom  see,  and 
no  where  so  exhibited,  and  on  such  a scale:  and 
the  peculiar  French  arrangement  which  puts  the 
walls  at  the  outside  edge  of  the  buttresses,  and 
thus  forms  interior  chapels  all  round,  in  addition 
to  the  aisles,  gives  a vast  multiplicity  of  perspec- 
tive below,  which  fills  out  the  idea  produced  by 
the  gigantic  height  of  the  central  space.  Such 
terms  will  not  be  considered  extravagant  when  it 
is  recollected  that  the  vault  is  half  as  high  again 
as  the  roof  of  Westminster  Abbey.  Even  the 
colossal  figures  of  worshipping  angels  and  saints, 
bending  forwards  at  the  bases  of  the  piers  of  the 
choir,  add  to  the  sentiment  which  its  architectural 
grandeur  excites,  and  connect  a devotional  feeling 
with  the  upward  lines  which  the  eye  traces  to 
their  concourse  apparently  in  another  region. 

But  my  present  business  is  rather  with  details 
than  with  generalities.  Of  what  style,  according 
to  our  rules,  is  this  splendid  building? — Does  it 
fall  in  well  with  English  classifications? — And  if 
so,  is  the  date  of  its  erection  that  which  we  should 
have  assigned  to  it  ? It  was  principally  to  solve 
such  questions  as  these  that  we  visited  it. 

To  this  I answer,  that  in  a great  measure  it 
does  fall  in  with  our  classification,  but  that  this 
is  to  be  understood  with  considerable  modifica- 
tions. It  is,  upon  the  whole,  clearly  what  we 
should  call  Early  English  ; and  as  the  national 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


241 


term  thus  appears  to  be  inappropriate,  what  we 
may  term  Early  Gothic : but  in  this  Early  Gothic 
we  have,  what  in  Early  English  we  have  not, 
abundance  of  that  kind  of  tracery  which  Mr  Rick- 
man calls  geometrical , consisting  of  circles,  trefoils, 
quatrefoils,  and  other  figures  which  may  easily  be 
made  by  the  compasses.  This  tracery  is  mani- 
festly original,  and  in  saying  this,  I am  not  under 
the  necessity  of  depending  upon  the  tracery  of  the 
windows,  though  it  would  be  inconceivable  that 
this  should  all  have  been  inserted  afterwards ; but 
the  faces  of  the  buttresses  are  also  panelled  with 
raised  mouldings,  forming  tracery  of  exactly  the 
same  kind  as  that  of  the  windows.  If  therefore 
we  are  to  find  a phrase  to  describe  the  architec- 
ture of  Amiens,  we  must  call  it  Early  Gothic 
with  Geometrical  Tracery.  The  same  kind  of 
tracery  appears  in  great  profusion  on  the  outside, 
in  the  canopies  of  the  windows,  the  parapets  of 
the  walls,  and  other  situations. 

This  Geometrical  tracery  with  us  belongs  to 
the  style  which  succeeds  the  Early  English, — the 
Decorated;  and  in  several  other  respects,  as  well 
as  in  this,  Amiens  has  the  features  of  this  later 
style ; thus  the  windows  have,  externally,  trian- 
gular canopies,  which  run  through  the  lines  of  the 
wall-parapet,  and  mix  its  tracery  with  theirs. 

The  reader  is  probably  aware  that  Amiens  is 
one  of  the  strongholds  of  those  who  maintain  that 
17 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


242 

the  advances  of  French  Gothic  architecture  are  an- 
terior to  the  corresponding  steps  of  English  work. 
Whittingham’s  arguments  are  almost  founded  upon 
it,  and  very  plausible  they  must  be  allowed  at 
first  sight  to  be.  Amiens  was  built  about  the 
same  time  as  Salisbury,  both  being  begun  a few 
years  before  1250;  and  at  Salisbury  there  is  little 
or  no  tracery,  though  there  are  manifest  symptoms 
that  our  countrymen  were  approaching  to  that  kind 
of  decoration.  Upon  the  whole  it  is  undeniable 
that  Amiens  in  such  features  approaches  nearer 
to  our  style  of  the  14th  century  than  Salisbury 
does. 

But  on  looking  a little  further,  it  is  by  no 
means  so  clear  that  the  French  architecture  is 
advanced  much  beyond  the  English,  Let  us  give 
up  the  point  of  tracery  and  look  to  other  matters. 
The  French  building  has  not  yet  acquired  the 
beautiful  complex  piers  of  Salisbury,  in  which  the 
slender  detached  shafts  combine  so  well  with  the 
deep  bundles  of  arch  mouldings : instead  of  these 
mouldings  it  has  a few  plain  members,  which 
with  us  would  belong  to  a much  earlier  date;  it 
has  a square  abacus  to  most  of  the  single  shafts, 
a Norman  feature  which  in  England  disappeared 
at  the  first  dawn  of  good  Gothic.  It  has  no  where 
the  skilful  accumulation  of  small  parts  producing 
deep  lines  of  shades,  yet  exquisitely  bold  and  free 
in  the  details,  which  we  find  so  constantly  in  our 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY,  243 

Early  English  work.  And  even  with  regard  to 
tracery  we  are  not  to  make  our  concessions  too 
largely ; for  if  Salisbury  has  only  those  perfora- 
tions of  the  heads  of  pannels  and  windows  which 
seem  to  be  the  mere  germs  of  tracery,  Bishop 
Lucy’s  work  at  Winchester,  which  is  within  a 
very  few  years  of  1200,  has  these  germs  at  least 
as  much  developed  as  Amiens;  and  Amiens,  in 
many  of  its  parts,  as  for  instance  in  the  triforium 
of  the  nave,  has  such  perforations  in  the  place  of 
tracery. 

The  fact  appears  to  be,  so  far  as  our  evidence 
yet  reaches,  that  our  peculiar  Early  English  style, 
which  produced  its  effects  by  grouping  single  lancet 
windows,  and  which  from  choice  or  ignorance  used 
no  tracery,  was  not  expanded  into  a distinct  style 
in  this  part  of  France;  and  that  here,  as  I have 
shewn  was  the  case  in  Germany  also,  the  Gothic 
forms  and  combinations  were  not  fully  developed 
till  the  windows  began  to  be  constructed  with  the 
tracery  of  our  Decorated  period.  The  Early  Eng- 
lish, so  far  as  Amiens  proves,  was  peculiarly  an 
English  style. 

It  may  serve  to  bring  under  notice  some  of  the 
features  of  this  building,  if  we  attempt  to  trace  the 
order  of  style  in  the  different  parts.  The  oldest 
part,  according  to  our  mode  of  judging,  would  be 
the  nave;  for  the  triforium  here  has  no  tracery, 
but  only  a trefoil  pierced  in  the  head  of  its  double 

17—2 


244 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


lights ; while  the  triforium  of  the  choir  has  tracery, 
and  has,  over  the  arch,  a triangular  crocketted 
canopy. 

The  transept  makes  the  transition  from  the 
nave  to  the  choir;  its  west  side  is  the  same  as 
the  nave,  while  its  east  side  resembles  the  choir  in 
having  tracery,  but  wants  the  triangular  canopy. 

The  aisles  of  the  choir  have  the  simplest,  and 
therefore  probably  the  earliest,  geometrical  tra- 
cery. 

The  tracery  of  the  triforium  of  the  choir  is  less 
simple ; yet  this  circumstance  must  not  be  urged 
too  far,  for  the  clerestory,  which  is  of  course  later 
than  the  triforium,  has  also  simple  geometrical 
tracery. 

The  side  chapels  of  the  nave  have  flowing 
tracery,  and  are  additions  of  later  date.  Indeed  the 
original  outline  of  the  buttresses,  with  its  set-offs, 
may  be  seen  in  the  walls  which  separate  these 

The  hack  of  the  north  tower  of  the  west  front 
is  clearly  of  Flamboyant  work. 

With  respect  to  this  west  front,  the  three  great 
gateways  which  compose  the  lower  part  of  it  are 
very  remarkable.  They  are  probably  of  the  earliest 
period  of  the  cathedral,  yet  they  are  enormously 
deep,  and  have  their  sides  filled  with  statues.  This 
mode  of  forming  the  portals  seems  to  have  been 
at  all  periods  a favourite  arrangement  with  the 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


245 


French  architects.  In  this  instance,  however,  we 
cannot  consider  them  as  having  attained  the  best 
mode  of  realizing  their  conception ; for  the  gateway 
sides  recede  in  a manner  so  rapid  and  so  little  archi- 
tectural, that  the  recesses  have  quite  the  appearance 
of  caverns  ; and  all  their  statuary  does  not  succeed 
in  relieving  their  gloomy  look,  or  in  bringing  out 
any  one  clear  and  satisfactory  line  or  surface. 

The  general  external  form  and  appearance  of 
Amiens  is  by  no  means  so  fine  as  the  interior  effect. 
The  exterior  appears  to  be  altogether  sacrificed  to 
the  interior;  the  enormous  roof  oppresses  all  the 
rest  of  the  building,  and  the  towers,  though  high 
enough,  or  nearly  so,  for  the  direct  view  of  the  west 
front,  scarcely  reach  the  ridge  of  the  roof,  and  have 
no  prominent  effect  in  a side-view.  Indeed  they 
appear  not  to  have  been  constructed  with  such  a 
hope;  for  instead  of  being  substantial  square  towers, 
they  are  thin  in  the  direction  of  the  length  of  the 
cathedral,  as  if  they  were  not  intended  to  be  more 
than  features  of  the  western  mask  of  the  building. 
I shall  not  however  at  present  dwell  upon  the 
general  question  of  outline,  nor  add  any  thing  more 
on  the  subject  of  that  of  Amiens. 

Beauvais . 

The  cathedral  of  Beauvais  at  first  sight  much 
resembles  the  choir  of  Amiens.  There  is  the  same 
amazing  height;  the  same  gigantic  clerestory,  al- 


246 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


most  as  light  as  a greenhouse  and  taller  of  itself 
than  most  churches ; the  same  tall  piers  and  narrow 
arches.  After  the  first  sensation  of  wonder  is  past, 
the  second  impression,  on  the  mind  of  one  who 
brings  with  him  the  recollection  of  Amiens,  is, 
that  the  building  now  before  us,  though  perhaps 
more  extraordinary,  is  less  pleasing  and  harmonious. 
The  extension  of  the  dimensions  upwards  is  in  this 
instance  carried  to  a degree  which  strikes  the  spec- 
tator as  exaggeration.  The  pier-arch  spaces  lose  all 
proportion,  and  the  clerestory  has  such  an  excess  of 
light,  that  it  scarcely  retains  an  architectural  cha- 
racter. Amiens  is  a giant  in  repose,  Beauvais  a tall 
man  on  tiptoe. 

Considered  with  reference  to  the  classification 
of  French  architecture,  the  resemblance  of  Beauvais 
to  Amiens  is  at  first  prominent.  The  plan  of  the 
piers  is  the  same ; the  capitals  are  similarly  formed 
of  Early  English  stiff  leaves  with  free  curling  tips, 
and  run  round  the  center  pier  as  well  as  the  shafts ; 
the  arches  are  of  the  same  form  in  the  apse,  namely, 
narrow-pointed-stilted ; and  the  arch  mouldings  have 
the  same  very  simple  Early  English  character ; the 
tracery  of  the  triforium  and  of  the  clerestory  is,  like 
that  of  Amiens,  of  the  geometrical  kind;  the 
lateral  faces  of  the  buttresses  which,  seen  internally, 
divide  the  apsidal  chapels,  are  ornamented  with 
lines  of  geometrical  tracery. 

There  are  however  differences  which  are  soon 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


247 


perceived.  The  pier-arch  spaces  are  narrower,  the 
clerestory  windows  much  taller,  and  the  side  aisles 
have  equilateral  windows  in  their  heads,  being  taller 
than  the  outer  chapels  by  a space  which  is  filled  by 
this  window  and  by  a quasi-triforium  below  it, 
formed  of  a little  range  of  Early  English  trefoil- 
headed arches  on  short  little  shafts.  The  vaulting 
of  the  choir  is  also  peculiar,  being  in  six-celled  com- 
partments like  several  of  the  German  cathedrals; 
and  the  vaulting  of  the  side  aisles  differs  remark- 
ably from  the  German  practice,  in  that  each  vault- 
ing compartment  corresponds  to  two  of  the  pier 
arches ; an  arrangement  which  is  connected  with 
several  peculiarities  of  detail. 

One  of  these  peculiarities  is  that  the  piers  seem 
to  have  alternate  differences,  which  we  may  explain 
by  calling  them  principal  and  secondary  piers. 
The  sections  of  both  kinds  are  nearly  the  same, 
but  the  capitals  are  different,  those  of  the  prin- 
cipal piers  being,  as  has  been  said,  clearly  Early 
English,  while  the  secondary  piers  have  capitals 
of  crumpled  foliage  (of  a Corinthianizing  character 
in  some  instances)  and  other  differences  in  the 
mouldings.  We  perceive  too,  that  the  wall  below 
the  triforium  offers  traces  of  arch  lines  super- 
seded by  alterations,  as  if  the  principal  piers  had 
at  first  been  the  only  ones,  and  had  supported 
wide  arches,  and  the  secondary  piers  had  been 


248 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


afterwards  inserted.  The  space  between  the  heads 
of  each  of  the  two  arches  into  which  the  original 
arch  is  thus  divided  is  occupied  by  a circle 
quartrefoiled,  which  circle  is,  of  course,  cut  in  two 
by  the  vaulting  shaft  of  the  secondary  pier. 

This  suggests  the  notion  that  the  secondary 
piers  have  really  been  inserted ; indeed  the  vast 
height  and  boldness  of  the  clerestory  may  readily 
be  conceived  to  be  the  work  of  an  architect  who 
intended  to  go  to  the  extreme  of  architectural 
possibility,  and  who  having  in  fact  gone  beyond 
this  limit,  made  it  subsequently  necessary  to  pro- 
vide additional  supports  for  his  church  in  the  air. 

This  was  the  opinion  which  I had  formed  at 
a preceding  visit;  but  it  was  pointed  out  to  me 
by  my  fellow  traveller,  whose  judgment  was  au- 
thority on  such  a point,  that  the  supposition  of 
the  secondary  piers  being  inserted  after  the  erec- 
tion of  the  clerestory,  was  quite  untenable ; for 
the  subdivisions  of  the  clerestory  and  triforium 
do  not  run  from  the  vaulting  shafts  of  one  prin- 
cipal pier  to  those  of  another  ivithout  making 
allowance  for  the  space  occupied  by  the  vaulting 
shafts  of  the  secondary  piers,  as  must  have  been 
the  case  on  my  hypothesis ; on  the  contrary  they 
are  arranged  so  as  to  leave  such  a space,  and  have 
exactly  the  same  reference  to  the  shafts  and  mem- 
bers of  the  secondary  as  of  the  principal  piers  : 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


249 


besides  which,  he  declared  the  insertion,  after  the 
clerestory  had  been  formed,  to  be  impossible  as 
a matter  of  construction.  At  the  same  time  he 
allowed  that  the  work  and  circumstances  of  these 
secondary  piers  had  every  appearance  of  insertion. 

On  looking  more  closely  at  the  triforium  and 
clerestory,  it  is  seen  that  the  capitals  are  not  of 
the  Early  English  character,  like  the  parts  below. 
They  are  of  crumpled  foliage  in  two  rows,  and 
have  all  the  appearance  of  our  Decorated  work, 
or  of  that  of  St  Ouen  at  Rouen  (1330). 

We  appear  therefore  to  be  left  to  the  sup- 
position that  the  secondary  piers  were  inserted 
after  the  erection  of  the  principal  piers,  and  be- 
fore that  of  the  triforium ; and  with  this  suppo- 
sition the  appearances,  so  far  as  they  have  yet 
been  described,  will  agree.  And  we  thus  find  the 
French  architecture  arranging  itself  according  to 
the  divisions  already  suggested:  the  Early  Gothic 
of  Amiens,  and  the  Decorated  Gothic  of  St  Ouen* 
succeeding  each  other;  the  Romanesque  preceding 
these  two,  and  the  style  which  we  have  called 
Flamboyant  succeeding  them,  by  a transition  of 
which  we  have  still  to  investigate  the  details. 

We  have  made  out  the  order  of  the  dates  of 
different  parts  of  the  building  from  internal  evi- 
dence alone : and  the  above  conclusions  were  in 
fact  obtained  without  any  knowledge  of  the  history 


250 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


of  Beauvais.  We  may  now  refer  to  what  is  known 
of  the  building  of  this  cathedral,  in  order  to  see 
how  far  it  agrees  with  these  determinations.  We 
find  that  after  the  destruction  of  the  ancient 
cathedral,  founded  in  991,  of  which  the  remains 
are  probably  the  ruinous  buildings  still  remaining 
to  the  west  of  the  cathedral,  Miles  of  Nanteuil, 
Bishop  of  Beauvais,  undertook  in  1225  (that  is, 
five  years  after  the  date  of  the  commencement  of 
Amiens)  to  rebuild  the  cathedral  on  a more  ex- 
tensive plan.  The  piers  of  the  building  thus  com- 
menced being  placed  at  too  great  a distance  from 
each  other,  the  vaulting  fell  in,  in  spite  of  the 
precautions  which  had  been  taken  to  support  it, 
by  using  iron  braces  and  chains  to  hold  the  side 
walls  together.  The  vaulting  is  said  to  have  been 
reconstructed  and  finished  in  1272,  but  the  archi- 
tect was  again  unsuccessful,  for  it  once  more  fell 
in,  twelve  years  afterwards,  in  1284.  This  acci- 
dent having  proved  the  insufficiency  of  iron  braces 
to  hold  the  piers  in  their  places,  with  so  great  a 
height  and  so  wide  a span  as  had  been  given 
them,  it  was  resolved  to  erect  intermediate  piers 
in  the  spaces  which  intervene  between  the  original 
ones.  Forty  years  were  employed  in  executing 
this  plan  of  repairs.  In  1338  the  Bishop  and 
Chapter  chose  Enguerrand,  surnamed  the  Rich, 
as  their  architect,  intending  to  complete  the  cathe- 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


25 1 


dral*,  and  the  work  was  begun,  and  continued 
with  zeal  for  several  years;  but  the  intestine  wars 
which  so  repeatedly  desolated  France  during 
more  than  a century,  and  the  occupation  of  a 
great  part  of  its  territory  by  the  English  army, 
interrupted  this  labour ; and  it  was  not  resumed 
till  1500,  under  the  episcopate  of  Villiers  de 
l’lsle  Adam,  who  laid  the  first  stone  of  the  transept 
with  a very  splendid  ceremony.  The  rest  of  the 
chronology  is  less  likely  to  give  rise  to  any 
difficulty. 

The  Flamboyant  Style . 

The  architecture  of  the  Transept  of  Beauvais, 
which  thus  appears  to  have  been  begun  in  1500, 
and  which  was  finished  in  1555,  is  an  example  of 
the  style  which  we  have  called  Flamboyant,  and 
may  serve  as  an  opportunity  for  describing  some 
of  the  characteristics  of  that  style.  The  kind  of 
architecture  which  belongs  to  this  date  in  France 
must  have  been  noticed  by  most  travellers,  for  it 
is  very  abundant,  and  has  a strong  general  like- 
ness; but  I do  not  know  that  any  one  has  given 
a technical  account  of  its  peculiarities.  A learned 
English  antiquary  has  described  a particular  portion 
of  this  kind  of  architecture  by  the  name  Burgun- 

* M.  Gilbert  says  the  choir,  but  the  only  meaning  con- 
sistent with  the  facts,  is  the  one  I have  given. 


252 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


dian  ; and  Mr  Pugin  has  given  many  details.  I 
shall  speak  of  it  as  it  occurs  in  the  churches  of 
Picardy  and  Normandy. 

It  resembles  in  many  respects  our  Perpen- 
dicular, or  Tudor  architecture,  but  exhibits  many 
very  marked  differences  when  we  compare  it  with 
that  style.  Thus  we  have,  in  both  these  styles, 
pinnacles  crocketted,  finialled,  grouped,  and  formed 
into  niche-canopies;  surfaces  covered  with  moulded 
pannels ; pierced  parapets ; and,  as  we  advance, 
Italianized  members  and  arrangements  make  their 
appearance  in  both.  But  while  the  Tudor  style 
has  the  four-centered  arch  peculiar  to  it,  the 
Flamboyant  has  the  three-centered,  and  the  ho- 
rizontal line  arched  at  the  ends.  It  is  also  far 
more  common  in  the  French  than  in  the  English 
style  to  have  in  various  situations  a multitude 
of  niches  filled  with  statuary,  and  especially  in 
the  hollow  mouldings  of  arches.  The  lines  of 
Flamboyant  panneling  and  tracery  are  not  by 
any  means  distinguished,  as  those  of  the  Tudor 
times  with  us  are,  by  the  universal  predominance 
of  perpendicular  lines.  On  the  contrary,  they  run 
into  peculiar  flame-like  forms,  from  which  the 
name  has  been  taken.  This  will  be  best  explained 
by  the  following  figure,  which  is  copied  from 
Mr  Rickman’s  account  of  French  Architecture, 
(. Archceologia , and  Architecture , 4th  Edition). 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY.  253 


Some  of  the  features  of  the  Tudor  and  the 
Flamboyant  styles  which  most  deviate  from  the 
Gothic  of  the  better  times,  probably  indicate  in 
both  a nearer  approach  to  the  period  of  the  re- 
vival of  the  classical  architecture ; as — polygonal 
pedestals  and  abacusses  with  concave  sides — the 
prevalence  of  hollow  horizontal  projecting  mould- 
ings filled  with  flowers — strings  terminated  by 
lines  of  coronal  points  above — and  lines  curved 
and  broken  in  various  ways,  substituted  for  the 
straight  sides  of  the  triangular  heads  of  pinnacles. 
The  superiority  in  richness  and  variety  appears  to 
be  on  the  side  of  the  French  style,  at  least  we 
have  nothing  which  can  well  be  compared  with 
the  richest  members  of  their  work  ; especially  their 
portals  with  free  tracery  hanging  like  an  edging 


254 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


of  lace  from  the  border  of  the  arch,  and  the  arch- 
mouldings  completely  replaced  by  lines  of  canopies 
and  statues. 

The  two  fronts  of  the  transept  of  Beauvais  to 
the  north  and  south  are  both  very  fine  specimens 
of  the  application  of  this  architecture,  though 
they  are  very  different.  The  following  comparison 
of  them  will  serve  to  indicate  the  difference  of 
which  the  style  is  susceptible.  Each  of  these  fronts 
consists  of  a gable-end,  flanked  by  projecting  but- 
tresses or  turrets,  and  composed  of  a portal;  then, 
above,  a large  window,  divided  by  a horizontal 
gallery ; then  another  horizontal  gallery  above 
this ; and  the  gable  above  all.  The  gable,  upper 
window,  lower  window,  and  portal,  recede  in  order 
each  behind  the  others ; and  hence  the  portal 
has  a deep  recess,  which  is  closed  by  a double 
door  with  an  ornamented  straight- topped  arch  to 
each  doorway. 

The  north  transept  is  one  of  the  specimens 
of  the  Flamboyant  style  which  approaches  most 
nearly  to  our  Perpendicular.  Its  effect  depends 
more  upon  large  members,  lines  and  shadows,  and 
the  proportion  of  decoration  of  different  parts,  and 
less  upon  carving  and  tracery,  than  is  usual;  and 
there  is  a great  predominance  of  perpendicular 
lines.  The  portal  has  its  arch-mouldings  made 
up  of  three  lines  of  free  feathered  tracery,  each 
accompanied  by  a string  of  foliage,  and  alter- 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


255 


nating  with  these,  two  bold  masses  of  mouldings, 
the  middle  member  of  each  mass  being  well 
marked,  and  accompanied  by  finer  strings,  also 
well  marked.  The  sides  of  the  portal  are  occu- 
pied  by  fine  pinnacles  and  niches.  The  original 
wooden  doors  remain,  and  are  of  excellent  work, 
and  very  rich.  The  head  of  the  doors  has  two 
straight-topped  arches  (flowered  mouldings)  under 
one  arch.  The  tympanum  is  flat,  beautifully 
sculptured  with  a genealogical  tree,  with  es- 
cutcheons hanging  from  each  branch  mixed  with 
feathered  pannels.  The  first  parapet  is  solid 
panneling,  good  and  simple ; the  second  parapet 
is  bold  open  flowing  panneling,  with  pinnacles 
at  intervals ; the  third  parapet  is  also  of  open 
panneling,  and  behind  this  the  gable  is  enriched 
with  attached  pinnacles  in  pairs.  The  portal  has 
a triangular  canopy  with  crockets,  large  and  few 
as  usual  in  this  style  ; which  ought  to  have,  and 
probably  has  had,  a proportional  pinnacle — now 
gone.  This  canopy  is  crossed  by  the  first  parapet, 
and  the  remaining  spandrel  spaces  are  occupied 
with  perpendicular-lined  feathered  panneling.  The 
window  has  tracery  with  feathered  heads  below 
the  transom  gallery;  and,  in  the  head  of  the 
window  itself,  very  rich  flowing  tracery  forming  a 
fine  circle.  The  buttresses  are  plain  and  bold, 
the  eastern  one  having  a staircase  turret  engaged 
in  its  angle. 


256 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


The  leading  difference  of  the  south  transept, 
at  first  sight,  is  in  the  flanking  turrets,  which  here 
take  the  place  of  the  buttresses.  These  have 
almost  an  Italianizing  character;  they  consist  of 
round  or  polygonal  stories  of  decreasing  diameter  as 
they  ascend,  with  rich  foliage  mouldings  running 
round  the  upper  edges  of  the  parapets,  and  all 
the  faces  covered  with  pinnacles  and  canopies  of 
abundant  richness.  The  turrets  are  round,  at  the 
level  of  the  first  parapet,  and  also  at  top ; and 
are  decagons  (engaged)  in  other  parts.  But  there 
are  other  differences  from  the  north  transept,  all 
of  which  tend  to  make  this  front  a more  indis- 
criminate mass  of  ornament  than  the  other.  The 
portal  parapet  is  open,  and  the  transom-gallery 
parapet  has  no  pinnacles ; both  are  finished  up- 
wards with  lines  of  double  feathering  of  various 
patterns,  somewhat  resembling  in  effect  our  Tudor 
flower.  The  arch -mouldings  are  occupied  in  the 
usual  way  by  canopies  over  figures  and  groups, 
and  the  tympanum  by  projecting  niches.  There 
are  also  in  this  front  variations  which  seem  to 
indicate  that  the  architect  was  no  longer  satisfied 
with  the  established  Gothic  forms.  Thus  we  have 
these  figures  in  the  heads  of  pinnacles  and  in 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


257 


tracery,  instead  of  the  usual  straight  lines  and 
arches,  and  the  polygonal  plan  of  the  tower  has 
concave  sides. 

There  is,  however,  one  part  of  this  front  which 
exhibits  a more  elegant  management  of  the  per- 
pendicular principle  than  appears  in  the  north 
front.  The  outer  line  of  free  feathered  tracery 
round  the  portal  arch  is  framed  as  if  it  were  the 
feathered  head  of  a perpendicularly  panneled  space, 
so  that  the  primary  arches  of  the  feathering  have 
unequal  sides.  In  the  corresponding  member  on 
the  other  front,  the  free  tracery  is  of  the  usual 
kind,  with  the  addition  of  some  of  the  lines  of 
the  perpendicular  panneling  of  the  spandrel,  which 
appear  there  by  interpenetration. 

Outline  of  French  Cathedrals . 

Before  I quit  this  cathedral,  I may  make  an 
observation  or  two  on  the  consequences  of  the 
enormous  height  which  the  French  architects  were 
so  fond  of  giving  to  their  cathedrals.  The  effect, 
under  various  circumstances,  is  no  doubt  very 
striking ; as,  for  instance,  when  we  view  them  from 
a favourable  position  in  the  interior,  and  find  the 
eye  carried  by  their  leading  members  from  the  floor 
along  the  graceful  lines  of  the  tracery,  to  the 
figured  and  coloured  lights  of  the  clerestory,  and 
further  still  to  the  remote  region  of  the  vaulting 
18 


258 


NOTES  ON  A TOUK 


lines — a region  so  distant,  yet  still  architecturally 
connected  with  the  spot  on  which  we  stand;  and 
this  configuration,  repeated  by  each  of  the  com- 
partments, under  a varied  perspectival  aspect,  pro- 
duces an  impression  so  different  from  that  of 
smaller  buildings,  that  it  may  well  be  called 
magicah  Externally  also,  when  seen  at  a dis- 
tance, rising  over  the  tallest  houses  and  trees  of 
the  city,  with  no  deficiency  of  visible  height,  the 
appearance  of  such  a church  is  truly  amazing. 
But  when  we  come  to  look  more  steadily  at  the 
external  form  of  this  mass,  we  find  that  its  height 
has  extinguished  almost  all  possibility  of  well- 
proportioned  dimensions  and  parts.  Amiens,  which 
is  as  long  as  some  of  our  largest  English  cathe- 
drals, looks  short,  and  Beauvais,  having  no  nave, 
is  absolutely  shapeless.  Moreover  the  enormous 
height  of  the  roof,  which  has  no  architectural 
character,  is  very  fatal  to  grace,  and  the  vertical 
and  flying  buttresses  which  rise  around  the  build- 
ing are  so  many  and  so  large,  that  they  utterly 
obliterate  its  outline.  At  Beauvais,  the  buttresses 
are  broad  pillars  of  wall  with  three  lines  of  flying 
buttresses  connecting  them  with  the  building,  and 
have,  at  a distance,  where  alone  the  eye  can  dis- 
entangle them,  the  effect  of  what  they  really  are, 
an  exterior  scaffolding  of  stone.  The  pinnacles  on 
the  tops  of  these  pillars  are  quite  insignificant 
compared  with  the  masses  on  which  they  stand, 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


259 


like  a man  at  the  top  of  a tower ; and  yet  could 
not  be  much  larger  without  interfering  with  the 
dignity  of  the  building  itself,  by  altering  the  scale 
of  the  parts.  The  clerestory  is  the  only  part  of 
the  building  seen  at  a distance,  although  the  side 
aisles  are  very  tall : we  lose  therefore  here  all  effect 
of  the  cathedral  arrangement.  And,  with  this 
enormous  height,  it  becomes  impossible  to  have 
any  tov/ers  which  bear  such  a proportion  to  the 
rest  of  the  building  as  to  give  it  a good  outline. 
Those  of  Amiens  are  hardly  free  of  the  roof  line ; 
and  yet  are  not,  even  so  far,  well-made  towers,  for 
the  dimension  in  the  length  of  the  building  is 
such  as  to  make  them  rather  a front  screen  than 
anything  else.  At  Beauvais  a center  tower  was 
built,  which  was  455  French  feet  high  ; but  this 
fell  in  the  space  of  12  years  from  its  erection, 
probably  in  a great  measure  in  consequence  of 
being  built  before  the  nave  was  there  to  receive 
its  lateral  pressure. 

At  every  stage  of  the  building  of  this  cathe- 
dral of  Beauvais,  indeed,  the  “ boldness”  of  the 
architects  appears  to  have  been  pushed  beyond  the 
limits  of  prudence,  and  to  have  been  repaid  with 
defeat.  The  well  proportioned  magnificence  of  the 
neighbouring  edifice  of  Amiens,  perhaps,  excited 
their  emulation.  It  has  already  been  noticed,  that 
the  first  attempts  to  erect  the  clerestory  to  its 
present  height  ended  in  its  fall,  and  the  arrange- 

18—2 


260 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


ment  of  the  pier-arches  and  of  the  clerestory-win- 
dows still  tells  the  story  of  this  failure,  as  well 
as  the  details  of  masonry  and  ornament.  The  erec- 
tion of  the  tower  is  said  to  have  been  resolved  on 
after  1555,  instead  of  the  continuation  of  the  nave, 
in  consequence  of  the  fame  which  Michael  Angelo 
had  obtained  by  the  construction  of  St  Peter’s. 
The  Tramontane  architects  Waart  and  Marechal, 
wished,  it  is  said,  to  shew  that  their  style  was 
capable  of  reaching  a greater  height  than  that  of 
the  Greeks  and  Romans.  If  they  had  not,  in 
some  measure,  forgotten  or  neglected  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Gothic  architects  of  the  better  times 
of  the  art,  perhaps  their  boast  might  have  been 
verified  ; as  it  was,  the  architect  who  was  sent  to 
examine  the  tower  when  it  was  suspected  to  be 
dangerous,  had  but  just  time  to  warn  the  congre- 
gation of  its  approaching  fall,  which  took  place 
before  he  reached  the  bottom. 


There  is  at  Beauvais  another  church,  that  of 
St  Stephen,  which  offers  some  points  worthy  our 
notice.  The  nave  is  of  that  Transition  style  from 
Romanesque  to  Gothic,  of  which  we  have  examples 
in  England,  and  with  which  I had  become  so  fa- 
miliar in  Germany.  It  is  extremely  plain,  with 
round  pier-arches  and  small  round-headed  cleres- 
tory windows.  The  vaulting  shafts  are  clusters  of 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


261 


three,  with  the  Early  English,  (that  is  the  Attic) 
base,  and  rude  Early-English-formed  capitals ; and 
some  of  the  pier-shafts  towards  the  side-aisles  are 
edged,  as  in  Early  English  is  common. 

The  west  front  of  this  church  very  much  resem- 
bles a plain  Early  English  front  of  our  own  country, 
having  three  portals  in  projecting  high-pitched  pedi- 
ments, (like  Salisbury).  Above  these,  the  wall  is 
pierced  in  the  center  compartment  with  three  lancet 
windows;  and  above  these,  with  a circular  window, 
and  also  with  a circular  window  in  each  lateral  com- 
partment. The  arches  of  the  lateral  portals  have 
good  Early  English  mouldings;  that  of  the  center 
has  these  replaced  by  several  lines  of  niche-canopies ; 
the  doors  are  double,  leaving  a large  tympanum. 
This,  being  probably  an  Early  Gothic  front,  serves 
to  shew  the  prevalence  of  the  conception  on  which 
most  of  the  French  west  fronts  seem  to  he  formed. 
The  front  of  Amiens  is  the  same  in  arrangement 
as  this  of  St  Stephen’s ; but  there  all  the  three  vast 
recesses  of  the  portal-arches  have  the  mouldings 
filled  with  canopies  and  statues.  In  the  later  edi- 
fices this  general  form  of  front  receives  additional 
richness  in  various  ways  : the  pediment  is  cut  into 
open  tracery,  and  has  (in  Flamboyant  work)  an 
open  gallery  parapet  carried  across  it:  the  window 
fills  the  whole  space  between  the  buttresses,  and 
has  also  a transom  gallery  with  open  parapet  carried 
across  it,  the  tracery  of  the  window-head  still  exhi- 


262 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


biting  the  circle : and  another  parapet,  with  a gal- 
lery, runs  along  the  bottom  of  the  gable ; while  all 
the  flat  parts  are  covered  with  panneling,  and  the 
arches  are  edged  with  free  tracery. 

Comparison  of  French  Decorated  and  Flam- 
boyant. Rouen. 

We  appear,  in  proceeding  to  Rouen,  to  have  a 
good  chance  of  discovering  more  clearly  than  we 
have  hitherto  done,  the  distinctive  features  of  the 
successive  styles  of  French  Gothic ; for  that  city 
possesses  vast  treasures  of  architecture,  and  a series 
of  highly  ornamented  edifices  of  very  distant  dates. 
We  may,  in  the  first  place,  take  the  two  fronts  of 
the  transept  of  the  Cathedral,  looking  north  and 
south,  for  these  (the  central  parts  of  them)  are  clear 
examples  of  our  Decorated  style  with  geometrical 
tracery,  triangular  canopies,  mullions  having  capi- 
tals of  crumpled  foliage,  and  so  forth.  Both  these 
fronts  are  portals  which  may  be  compared  with 
those  of  the  Flamboyant  class  in  order  to  discover 
the  leading  differences. 

On  such  a comparison,  we  find  the  following 
circumstances  in  the  north  front  of  the  Cathedral 
different  from  those  which  would  occur  in  a Flam- 
boyant front  of  the  same  kind.  There  is  no  panneling 
in  the  spandrels  of  portal  or  window,  the  crockets 
of  the  canopies  are  of  moderate  size  and  distance. 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


263 


The  mouldings  do  not  any  of  them  consist  of  lines 
of  woven  foliage  cut  hollow  and  projecting,  but 
when  the  moulding  is  enriched  with  foliage,  the 
leaves  adhere  to  the  solid  form  and  curl  outwards  at 
the  points  only.  The  buttresses  which  flank  this 
portal  are  simple  hut  good ; they  are  square  with  a 
single  canopied  panneling  in  the  breadth  of  the 
outward  face,  subdivided  and  having  geometrical 
tracery.  There  is  no  transom  gallery.  The  sides 
of  the  portal  have  several  solid  square  pedestals 
with  their  faces  sculptured  in  has  relief  in  small 
compartments.  The  arch-mouldings  have  three  lines 
of  statues,  but  are  much  more  clear  and  simple  in 
their  general  appearance  than  the  usual  character  of 
Flamboyant  work,  being  well  divided  into  three  by 
two  strong  lines  of  mouldings.  The  tracery  is  geo- 
metrical, except  the  pediment  of  the  window-canopy, 
and  the  mouldings  are  rounds,  well  made  out  and 
not  faced  with  a fillet.  The  effect  of  this  rich  front, 
between  the  moderately  ornamented  and  well  di- 
vided buttresses,  is  better  than  that  either  of  the 
north  front  of  Beauvais,  where  these  members  are 
too  plain,  or  of  the  south  front  of  the  same  Cathe- 
dral, where  they  are  too  rich. 

The  south  front  of  the  transept  agrees  in  most 
of  the  above  characters  with  the  north ; but  there 
are  some  differences  which,  judging  from  the  build- 
ing itself,  would  induce  us  to  place  it  a little  later, 
as  it  appears  to  have  made  an  advance  towards  the 


264 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


Flamboyant  style.  The  flanking  buttresses  are 
much  more  broken  and  ornamented;  having  at  their 
front  angles  on  the  set-offs,  buttressets*  placed 
diagonally  ; and  these  have,  in  the  first  and  second 
story,  open  pinnacles  formed  of  square  crocketted 
and  pinnacled  pyramids  set  on  four  slight  shafts,  and 
inclosing  statues.  There  are  also  statues  in  the 
front  face  of  the  third  story  of  the  buttress.  The 
tracery  in  the  canopy-heads,  and  in  the  wheel  of 
the  window-head,  is  more  studiously  varied  than 
the  opposite  front,  but  is  not  so  graceful.  The 
canopies,  both  of  the  portal  and  of  the  lowest 
pannel-head  on  the  front  of  the  buttresses,  are 
doubly-feathered  outwards,  instead  of  being  crock- 
etted. The  canopv-head  of  the  window,  instead 
of  tracery,  is  occupied  by  a bold  group  of  statuary 
with  overhanging  canopies. 

The  above  description  was  written  previously  to 
making  any  reference  to  history,  either  for  the  abso- 
lute date,  or  the  order  of  priority  of  the  two  fronts. 
It  appears,  by  historical  research,  that  the  e£  Book- 
sellers’ Portal,”  which  is  the  one  to  the  north,  so 
called  because  a small  court  which  it  terminates  was 
occupied  by  persons  of  that  trade,  was  begun  in 
1280.  This  is  a little,  and  but  a little  earlier, 
than  the  date  we  should  assign  to  it  in  England. 

* I give  this  name  to  members  which  have  the  form  of 
buttresses,  but  which  are  so  small  or  so  subordinate  as  to 
be  obviously  only  decorative. 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


265 


The  upper  part  was  not  completed  till  1478.  In 
fact,  the  gable,  and  the  gallery  which  crosses  the 
lower  part  of  the  gable,  are  of  Flamboyant  details. 

The  building  of  the  south  front,  the  portal 
de  la  Calende,  is  not  recorded  separately  from  the 
other ; so  that  'probably  the  difference  of  time 
was  not  great. 

St  Ouen. 

If  we  now  go  to  the  beautiful  church  of  St 
Ouen,  we  shall  find  materials  for  a similar  com- 
parison. Every  one  has  seen  or  heard  of  its  exqui- 
site tower,  which  is  square  to  a certain  height, 
and  then  supports  an  octagonal  crown  of  open 
work,  by  means  of  fine  fiying  buttresses.  The 
whole  of  the  transept  and  choir,  with  the  lower 
part  of  the  tower,  are  manifestly  of  our  Decorated 
character.  But  the  upper  story  of  the  square  part, 
and  the  octagonal  crown,  seem  at  first  sight  to 
offer  some  grounds  for  thinking  them  of  a later 
date:  for  the  tracery,  which  is  of  the  geometrical 
kind  below,  becomes  here  flowing,  and  displays 
some  rather  fantastical  forms.  The  corner-turrets 
of  the  square  tower  have  pepper-box  tops;  and  its 
parapet  has  open  panneling,  of  which  the  tracery 
compartments  exhibit  a reference  to  a mid  rib,  a 
character  which  appears  to  be  very  common  in  the 
Flamboyant  tracery  of  windows.  A string  which 


266 


NOTES  ON  A TOUlt 


runs  round  the  middle  of  the  octagon  is  finished 
upwards  with  an  ornament  resembling  the  Tudor 
flower,  and  the  open  parapet  at  the  top  is  set  with 
fleurs  de  lis,  which  are  seen  quite  free  against  the 
sky.  Yet  a closer  examination  makes  us  again 
doubt  this  being  of  a later  style  than  the  Deco- 
rated. As  to  the  tracery,  the  oddest-looking  of 
the  forms  is  produced  by  tracing  a fleur  de  lis  ; 
and  is,  it  may  be  supposed,  sufficiently  explained 


by  the  grounds  of  selection  of  that  cognisance. 
The  crockets  are  not  distant  and  large,  which  is 
the  Flamboyant  fashion,  hut  moderate  in  size  and 
as  close  as  usual.  The  window  sides  have  not 
the  Flamboyant  double  hollow ; the  mullions  have 
bases  and  capitals  ; and  in  the  highest  part,  where 
the  windows  have  triangular  canopies  of  open  work, 
these  canopies  cut  through  and  intercept  the  tracery 
of  the  open  parapet,  instead  of  having  the  lines 
of  this  parapet  carried  across  them,  as  we  often 
find  in  the  Flamboyant  style.  The  buttresses  at 
the  angle  of  the  square  tower  are  simple  and  very 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


267 


moderately  adorned,  having  no  canopies  or  pan- 
neling,  except  when  we  reach  the  pinnacle  faces 
above  the  highest  set-offs.  Altogether  this  front 
may,  from  external  evidence,  he  Decorated  and 
not  Flamboyant,  except  the  art  of  adaptation  was 
very  studiously  practised. 

The  nave,  on  the  other  hand,  appears  certainly 
to  he  of  the  later  style,  though  very  much  modi- 
fied by  being  accommodated  to  the  choir.  The 
most  decisive  evidence  perhaps  of  the  Flamboyant 
character  is  to  be  found  in  the  bases  of  the  piers, 
which  consist,  as  in  the  later  style  is  so  common, 
of  various  columns  and  shafts  with  certain  nearly 
constant  mouldings  and  long  polygonal  pedestals, 
engaged  in  a moulded  pier,  the  shafts  dying  into 
the  projections  of  the  pier  as  they  run  downwards, 
and  the  mouldings  of  the  various  shafts  and  of 
the  pier  being  at  different  heights,  the  former 
intercepting  the  latter  and  giving  rise  to  appear- 
ances of  interpenetration.  This  peculiar  base  ap- 
pears to  he  decisive  of  a late  style.  The  base  of 
the  choir  suits  perfectly  well  with  the  Decorated 
character  of  that  part  of  the  building,  and  is  quite 
different  from  the  one  just  described,  having  two 
flattened  sloping  rounds  and  a polygonal  pedestal 
with  a string  and  notch  below,  while  the  section 
also  consists  of  rounds  and  hollows. 

But  the  nave,  if  it  he  thus  clearly  of  later 
times,  shews  that  the  artists  of  those  times  could, 


268 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


in  adapting  their  works  to  those  of  earlier  date, 
divest  themselves  of  a great  part  of  their  peculi- 
arities ; for  the  capitals  and  arch-mouldings  of  the 
nave  and  choir  are  apparently  the  same,  and  though 
the  tracery  in  the  nave  is  flowing,  the  lines  are 
rounds  not  filleted.  Moreover  the  mullions  have 
bases,  and  though  in  the  side-aisles  they  have  no 
capitals,  in  the  clerestory  they  have  capitals  like 
those  of  the  choir ; and  these  are  not  usual  Flam- 
boyant characters. 

We  are  led  therefore  to  consider  the  nave  as 
Flamboyant  much  adapted  to  Decorated,  while  the 
octagonal  tower  becomes  again  doubtful  in  con- 
sequence of  this  evidence  of  the  habit  and  talent 
of  adaptation. 

Turning  to  the  history,  we  find  that  after  the 
building  of  the  earlier  parts  with  which  we  are 
not  here  concerned,  the  eastern  part  of  the  church 
was  founded  by  Bishop  Marcdargent  in  1318,  and 
built  from  the  apse  to  the  transept  in  21  years, 
a date  which  agrees  perfectly  with  the  pure  and 
beautiful  exhibition  of  the  Decorated  style  in  the 
choir.  Though  Charles  the  Sixth  gave  30,000 
livres  in  1380  towards  the  completion  of  this 
church,  it  does  not  appear  that  any  progress  was 
made  till  about  1400,  when  Alexander  de  Berne- 
val,  as  architect,  founded  or  finished  the  transept. 
The  two  roses  which  form  the  heads  of  the  north 
and  south  windows  were  executed  in  1439.  The 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY.  269 

heads  of  these  windows  are  semicircular,  with 
flowers  in  the  hollow  moulding.  Thus,  though 
the  general  character  of  the  transept  is  a very 
ornamented  stage  of  the  Decorated  style,  such  as 
we  might  expect  to  find  in  1400,  we  discover, 
when  we  reach  a period  so  late  as  1439,  marks  of 
the  succeeding  style. 

In  1464  a grant  of  indulgences  was  obtained 
from  Rome,  with  the  result  of  which  the  nave  was 
begun  and  two  compartments  executed,  according 
to  the  historians.  The  rest  of  the  nave  is  stated 
to  have  been  finished  in  the  space  from  1491  to 
1515  by  Bishop  Boyer.  The  front  was  built  in 
1515  by  Cardinal  Cibo.  I have  not  spoken  of  it, 
because  it  is  obviously  of  late  character ; though 
its  circular  window  of  graceful  tracery,  with  the 
smallest  mouldings  subordinated  to  the  large  ones 
by  four  successive  gradations  of  size,  and  the 
featherings  all  tipped  with  flowers,  is  beautiful 
enough  to  do  credit  to  any  age. 

It  appears  then  from  history  that  the  nave  is 
late,  as  we  had  inferred  it  to  be  from  the  archi- 
tecture, and  that  the  resemblances  between  this 
and  the  preceding  style  are  the  marks  not  of 
transition,  but  of  accommodation ; and  it  may  be 
observed  that  this  explains  the  existence  of  a door 
on  the  south  side  of  the  nave,  which  is  of  the 
most  manifest  Flamboyant  character,  having  one 
of  the  fancifully  shaped  canopies  of  which  we 


270 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


have  spoken,  but  which  is  so  connected  with  the 
masonry  of  the  rest  of  that  part  that  we  cannot 
but  conceive  it  contemporaneous. 

On  similar  authority  it  appears  that  the  tower 
was  finished  towards  the  end  of  the  15th  century; 
and  we  must  therefore  consider  this  part  of  the 
building  as  another  example  of  accommodation. 
We  may  also  draw  the  inference  that  the  dif- 
ferences which  are  noticed  between  this  and  other 
instances  of  Flamboyant  architecture,  (as  the  tri- 
angular window-canopy  interrupting  the  parapet,) 
are  of  less  consequence,  and  the  resemblances,  (as 
the  flowing  tracery  and  the  pannels  of  tracery  which 
have  a mid  rib,)  of  more  consequence,  than  we  had 
supposed  in  our  former  decision. 

It  appears  from  the  above  account  that  two 
compartments  of  the  nave  next  the  transept  are 
stated  to  have  been  built  30  or  40  years  earlier 
than  the  remainder.  If  we  go  back  to  the  church 
to  see  whether  we  find  any  traces  of  this  interrup- 
tion, we  have  no  difficulty  in  discovering  them  ; 
for  the  two  piers  of  the  nave  next  the  transept 
have  the  same  bases  and  the  same  section  as  those 
of  the  choir,  which  are  very  different,  as  we  have 
seen,  from  those  of  the  arch  of  the  nave ; and  these 
latter  have  also  corbels  and  canopies  forming  niches 
in  their  fronts,  which  those  towards  the  transept 
have  not.  Nor  is  it  difficult  to  trace  the  line  of 
division  of  the  two  portions  of  masonry.  This 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


271 


correspondence  of  the  building  with  the  narrative, 
is  a valuable  confirmation  of  our  interpretation  of 
the  latter. 

The  work  of  1464  agrees  therefore,  in  the  bases 
of  the  piers,  as  well  as  in  most  other  features, 
with  that  of  the  early  part  of  the  14th  century. 
This  is  no  doubt  an  accommodation,  and  this  ac- 
commodation was  discontinued  in  the  succeeding 
piers,  because,  when  it  was  resolved  to  put  niches 
in  front  of  the  piers,  it  was  thought  right  that 
the  prismatic  stem  of  the  corbel  should  enter  into 
the  composition  of  the  pier,  and  similar  prismatic 
shafts  were  introduced  on  other  sides  of  the  same 
pier,  according  to  some  notion  or  other  of  con- 
gruity  ; the  pier  thus  lost  its  Decorated  character, 
and  became,  as  to  its  base  at  least,  unequivocally 
Flamboyant. 

But  notwithstanding  this  use  of  accommodation, 
there  are  still  general  differences  between  the  work 
of  the  13th  and  that  of  the  middle  of  the  14th 
century.  One  of  these  differences  is  the  use  of 
flowing  tracery  in  the  latter,  and  of  geometrical 
tracery  at  the  former  epoch,  which  we  find  to  ob- 
tain at  St  Ouen,  and  which  applies  to  the  two 
earlier  compartments' of  the  nave  as  well  as  the 
rest. 

Yet  we  may  observe  that  geometrical  tracery 
appears  to  have  prevailed  in  France  to  a much 
later  period  than  in  England,  and  indeed  not  to 


272 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


have  been  entirely  displaced  till  very  late.  Still 
upon  the  whole,  the  difference  between  geometrical 
and  flowing  tracery  is  one  which  marks  a differ- 
ence of  style.  It  is  remarkable  enough  that  the 
difference  of  the  kind  of  tracery,  which  is  so  sure 
a mark  in  English  work,  is  also  a very  important 
feature  in  French  architecture,  though  the  pecu- 
liarities are  altogether  changed  by  which  our  judg- 
ment is  directed.  In  England  the  style  which  suc- 
ceeds the  Decorated  is  the  Perpendicular;  and 
the  arrangement  of  the  tracery  of  windows  which 
gave  rise  to  this  denomination  is  so  common,  that 
we  rarely  find  a window  after  1400,  in  which  ver- 
tical lines  are  not  introduced  in  a manner  different 
from  that  which  would  have  been  adopted  at  an 
earlier  period.  In  France,  the  perpendicular  prin- 
ciple of  making  out  the  tracery  of  windows  never 
seems  to  have  come  into  play ; indeed  one  is  not 
surprized  at  this,  half  so  much  as  at  the  universal 
prevalence  of  the  principle  in  England.  It  is  true 
that  the  windows,  and  more  especially  the  pan- 
neling  of  the  French,  have  often  a multitude  of 
vertical  lines ; but  this  character  in  them  never 
takes  the  lead,  as  with  us.  The  windows  of  this 
time,  and  similar  spaces  in  the  architecture,  are 
occupied  by  tracery  which  we  very  properly  call, 
as  M.  Le  Prevost  has  called  it.  Flamboyant.  It 
is  somewhat  curious  that  window-tracery  should  in 
both  countries  be  so  distinctive  a mark  of  style 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY.  273 

and  date,  while  the  forms  connected  with  the  same 
style  in  the  two  countries  are  entirely  different. 

Comparison  of  Early  French  and  Early  English . 

Louviers . 

Another  comparison  which  we  shall  soon  have 
to  make  is,  that  of  the  French  Early  Gothic,  with 
the  English  corresponding  style,  which  we  have 
been  accustomed  to  call  the  Early  English.  Lou- 
viers, which  we  pass  at  this  period,  offers  some 
curious  points  for  this  comparison.  The  original 
portion  is  of  1218,  and  there  cannot  be  any  contest 
on  the  subject  of  this  date,  since  this  is  the  period 
when  the  church  was  built  in  a new  situation 
(A.  L.P.)  The  architecture  answers  very  tole- 
rably to  this  period,  with  some  little  anticipation 
on  the  progress  of  things  in  England.  The  cleres- 
tory windows  are  not  threes  or  fives  of  lancets,  nor 
do  the  French  ever  appear  to  have  had  these  com- 
binations ; they  are  two-light  windows  struggling 
towards  tracery  by  means  of  circles  in  the  head  of 
the  pair,  and  made  into  one  window  by  a roll 
moulding  running  round  the  whole  head,  which 
thus  assumes  a trefoil  form.  The  triforium  is  a 
little  square  opening  in  each  compartment,  bisected 
by  a shaft,  and  included  in  a trefoil  pannel  formed 
by  a roll  moulding ; the  square  opening  admitting 
daylight.  The  piers  have  clear  Early  English 
19 


27 4 NOTES  ON  A TOUR 

foliage-capitals,  but  are  singularly  short;  and  the 
arch  moulding  has  an  external  roll  and  a truncated 
edge,  hut  the  section  has  a squareness  which  in 
England  was  soon  abandoned  for  a rich  slope  of 
rolls.  There  are  lancet  windows  in  the  choir, 
which,  however,  does  not  appear  to  he  of  the  same 
date.  The  west  front,  of  the  geometrical-tracery 
style,  is  very  good,  but  does  not  here  concern  us. 
There  is,  moreover,  a rich  Flamboyant  porch  on 
the  south,  over-ornamented  no  doubt,  as  the  style 
always  is,  but  with  one  or  two  very  good  features, 
and  among  the  rest  a fine  double  canopy,  the 
intermediate  impost  being  a pendent. 


Evreux. 

On  proceeding  to  Evreux  we  do  not  find  much 
peculiarly  adapted  to  throw  light  on  our  comparison 
of  Early  French  and  English  Gothic.  The  nave 
is  too  early  to  answer  this  purpose,  being  Norman 
below,  though  the  arch-mouldings  of  the  round 
arches  are  more  complex  than  those  of  the  pointed 
arches  of  Louviers ; and  the  choir  is  too  late,  as 
well  as  the  triforium  and  clerestory  of  the  nave; 
for  they  bring  us  to  the  times  of  geometrical  tracery. 
But  there  is  here  a great  deal  of  excellent  Flam- 
boyant work ; the  interior  ends  of  the  transept  are 
quite  models  in  their  way,  and  the  octagon  lantern 
is  set  on  the  square  crossing  in  a very  elegant  and 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


275 


artist-like  manner.  The  exterior  of  the  north  tran- 
sept is  perhaps  the  best  we  have  yet  seen ; the 
flanking  towers  being  very  rich,  without  outshining 
the  space  flanked  by  them,  and  being  terminated  by 
very  graceful  clusters  of  canopies  and  pinnacles. 
This  front  appears  to  have  succeeded  in  attaining 
that  uniform  richness  and  elegance  at  which  the 
south  front  of  Beauvais  has  aimed  and  failed. 

If  any  one  wished  to  trace  the  Flamboyant 
to  its  final  disappearance  in  the  revived  Italian, 
Evreux  offers  many  good  materials  for  such  a task. 
A most  admirable  series  of  wooden  screens  to  the 
chapels  surrounding  the  choir  gives  examples  of 
almost  all  the  ways  in  which  one  of  these  styles 
can  modify  the  other;  and  shows,  what  we  might 
not  have  so  readily  supposed,  that  in  wood  at  least, 
many  beautiful  mixtures  may  he  made  of  them. 
The  two  towers  of  the  west  front  are  also  examples 
of  a similar,  or  rather  a later  mixture,  made  by 
two  different  methods;  and  probably  neither  of 
them  will  be  judged  so  favourably  as  the  woodwork. 
They  are  to  be  considered  as  Gothic  conceptions 
expressed  in  Classical  phrases. 

liisieux . 

On  arriving  at  Lisieux,  however,  we  find,  at 
length,  the  means  of  making  our  comparison  in 
an  instructive  and  satisfactory  way ; for  here  we 

19— 2 


27  6 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


have  a church  which  throughout,  and  in  the  closest 
manner,  resembles  Early  English  work.  Here  then 
we  may  make  some  comparative  observations.  We 
still  find  the  distinguishing  character  of  French 
work,  the  square  abacus;  but  along  with  this,  we 
find  the  octagonal  abacus  occupying  a large  portion 
of  the  triforium,  and  the  arcades  under  the  windows 
in  the  choir  have  the  round  abacus,  with  foliage, 
capping-mouldings  and  arch-mouldings  which  at 
home  would  not  be  distinguished  from  English 
work.  The  bands  of  the  piers  also  are  of  the  Early 
English  type,  or  nearly  so,  with  the  exception  of 
a square  plinth  and  a curl  of  foliage  on  its  corners, 
not  common  in  England,  though  very  frequent  in 
France.  The  string  over  the  arcade  also  resem- 
bles the  Early  English  form.  The  general  arrange- 
ments are  strikingly  English : thus  the  triforium 
has  pointed  arches  on  shafts  inclosing  two  pointed 
arches  on  shafts,  the  tympanum  pierced  with  a 
quatrefoil ; the  clerestory  has  single-light  windows  ; 
the  vaulting  has  transverse  and  diagonal  ribs  with 
Early  English  mouldings.  Still,  however,  there 
are  considerable  differences.  The  piers  are  columns 
with  corinthianizing  capitals,  and  their  abacuses  are 
squares  with  the  corners  slightly  truncated.  There 
are  strings  about  the  vaulting  shafts,  both  of  the 
clerestory  and  the  aisles,  but  these  are  less  marked 
than  the  English  bands  are  wont  to  be  : and  there 
is  a difference  to  my  eye  in  the  arch-mouldings, 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY.  277 

though  my  companion  will  hardly  acknowledge  it, 
of  this  kind ; — they  more  resemble  a classical  archi- 
trave than  ours  do;  for,  instead  of  a dripstone, 
they  have  a raised  fillet  or  edge  separated  from  the 
receding  mouldings  of  the  arch  by  a fascia-like 
space.  It  is  true,  this  very  easily  passed  into  a 
dripstone,  and  is  not  any  where  very  clearly  distin- 
guishable from  one,  but  still  the  appearance  is 
somewhat  different.  At  the  west-end  interior  this 
architrave  is  filled  with  foliage,  and  looks  perhaps 
still  more  dripstone-like.  This  west  end,  inside, 
is  a sort  of  interior  porch  with  a vaulted  compart- 
ment above,  such  as  we  have  at  Jumieges,  and  at 
several  churches  in  Germany  (Laach,  Ratisbon, 
&c.) ; and  the  outer  mouldings  of  the  internal  arch 
of  this  porch  are  much  enriched;  the  abacus  here 
has  a vertical  face  sculptured  with  arabesques  of 
foliage,  like  the  north  door  of  Rouen  cathedral 
west-front.  This  mode  of  ornamenting  surfaces 
appears  also  in  the  pedestals  of  the  exterior  doors 
of  the  north  front  of  this  church,  and  is  an  exhi- 
bition of  a style  of  Early  Gothic,  or  rather  late 
Romanesque,  which  we  should  probably  find  more 
frequent  and  more  developed  in  other  parts  of 
France  or  in  Italy.  This  west  exterior  end  is  a 
very  fine  Early  English  front ; and,  like  most  of 
our  fronts  of  that  kind,  (Salisbury,  Peterborough, 
Wells,)  contains  some  vestiges  of  the  earlier  style. 
Thus,  while  the  north  tower  has  beautiful  lancet- 


278 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


arch  windows  of  great  height,  occupying  the  whole 
of  its  side,  and  divided  by  a single  very  tall  shaft, 
the  south  tower  has,  on  the  same  parallel  with  these 
windows,  three  stories  of  small  windows,  consist- 
ing of  round-headed  openings  inclosing  pairs  of 
pointed  openings  (as  at  Shoreham),  with  inter- 
penetrating mouldings.  These  two  towers  have 
in  other  respects  every  appearance  of  being  contem- 
porary, and  the  latter  one  is  covered  by  a stone  spire 
which,  by  its  tile-cut  surfaces  and  stiff  crockets, 
appears  to  be  of  the  date  of  the  original  Early 
English  part  of  the  building.  The  doors  below 
this  work  (the  north  and  south  door,  for  the  center 
one  has  had  all  the  shafts  removed,  and  the  mould- 
ings cut  smooth  away)  are  also  good  Early  English, 
being  doubled  sets  of  arcades  on  four  shafts  in 
their  sides.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  there  are 
in  this  building  strings  (not  however  very  long) 
of  an  ornament,  either  identical  with,  or  very 
closely  approaching  to,  the  Early  English  toothed 
ornament,  so  abundant  with  us  in  works  of  this 
style.  This  ornament  occurs  also  in  (a  situation 
where  ours  is  very  familiar  to  us)  the  outer  mould- 
ings of  the  windows,  in  the  south  transept-front, 
in  the  interior  face  of  the  end  of  the  north  tran- 
sept, and  in  the  mouldings  of  the  internal  arch 
of  the  internal  west  porch.  But  we  cannot  pre- 
tend to  say  that  in  any  of  these  cases  it  is  cut 
so  clear  and  free  as  to  be  comparable  with  good 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


279 


English  work ; and  it  occurs  very  sparingly.  On 
the  exterior  we  have  flying  buttresses,  which,  like 
most  French  flying  buttresses,  appear  to  he  too 
little  sloped.  This  difference  is  very  remarkable 
in  many  places,  as  for  instance  at  Beauvais,  where 
the  buttresses  have  the  appearance  of  a scaffolding, 
as  has  already  been  noticed. 

On  Different  Kinds  of  Norman. 

Jumieges . St  George  de  Boucherville. 

Besides  the  question  of  the  determination  of 
the  characteristic  differences  of  the  successive  styles 
of  French  architecture,  and  their  relation  to  the 
corresponding  styles  in  England,  which  we  con- 
sider to  be  a peculiar  object  of  our  own,  there  is 
a question  which  hitherto  seems  to  have  occupied 
almost  entirely  the  attention  of  our  Anglo-Norman 
antiquaries,  which  it  will  not  be  advisable  to  lose 
sight  of,  though  it  is  both  much  more  obscure, 
and,  as  it  seems  to  me,  much  less  instructive  and 
amusing.  This  is  the  problem  of  the  determina- 
tion of  the  relative  antiquity  of  different  kinds  of 
Norman  or  Romanesque  work,  before  any  clear 
appearance  of  Gothic ; and  the  discovery,  if  it  be 
possible,  of  any  well-authenticated  and  distinguish- 
able style  which  may  be  considered  as  anterior  to 
the  Norman  of  the  time  of  the  Conquest.  This 
has  been  considered  so  important  a point,  that  the 


280 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


greater  part  of  the  advice  which  previous  travel- 
lers had  given  us,  had  gone  upon  the  supposition 
that  it  must  necessarily  be  the  main  purpose  of 
our  researches.  Our  English  antiquaries  speak  very 
confidently  of  two  successive  kinds  of  Norman  in 
our  own  country.  One,  very  plain  and  massive, 
as  exemplified  in  Waltham  Abbey,  the  transept 
of  Walkelyn  at  Winchester,  Lanfranc’s  Tower  at 
Canterbury,  the  Chapel  in  the  Tower  of  London, 
&c. ; the  other,  which  occurs  mostly  after  1100, 
exhibiting  all  that  variety  of  ornament  with  which 
the  observers  of  Norman  architecture  among  us  are 
well  acquainted.  It  never  appeared  to  me  very 
clear  that  the  difference  of  these  two  sets  of  build- 
ings was  sufficient  to  constitute  a clearly  marked 
difference  of  style,  implying  a difference  of  dates; 
for  there  is  not,  in  the  most  ornamented  Norman, 
(when  the  ornaments  are  of  the  appropriate  kind) 
any  manifestation  of  a new  principle  which  would 
by  its  developement  conduct  us  to  a new  style  of 
architecture,  or  would  lead,  by  a modification  of 
one  member,  to  a modification  of  others,  as  is  the 
case  at  other  periods  of  change  in  our  architecture. 
The  principal  exception  to  this  remark  is  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  ro//-moulding  in  arches  ; for  this, 
if  repeated  and  multiplied,  and  the  rolls  made  con- 
sequently more  slender,  would  bring  a Norman 
arch  to  resemble  an  Early  English  one  in  circum- 
stances which  are  at  least  as  essential  as  the 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


281 


pointed  form,  as  may  be  seen  for  instance  at 
Glastonbury. 

In  order  to  try  to  apply  this  distinction  to 
Norman  in  its  own  country,  we  go  in  the  first 
place  to  Jumieges  and  St  George  de  Bocherville, 
both  of  which,  upon  apparently  undeniable  evi- 
dence, are  stated  to  have  been  built  before  the 
Conquest.  The  Ahbey  Church  of  Jumieges  is  a 
magnificent  example  to  start  from,  on  account  of  its 
majestic  size  and  solidity ; and  suits  well  enough 
the  doctrine  of  early  plainness.  The  pier-arches, 
plainly  rebated,  stand  on  great  pilaster-masses,  with 
half-columns  attached  in  the  sides  and  towards 
the  aisle.  Certain  vaulting  shafts  in  the  front  of 
these  piers  are  obviously  later  insertions.  The 
bases  of  the  attached  columns  appear  to  have  con- 
sisted of  little  more  than  a simple  slope,  and  the 
capitals  are  rudely-sloped  bells  with  an  abacus. 
There  is  no  ornament  in  the  way  of  fillet  or  zigzag 
mouldings  in  the  old  part  of  the  work,  except  that 
the  top  of  the  clerestory  wall  and  of  the  western 
towers  have  a triple  billeted-moulding,  which  seems 
to  be  old.  These  towers  end  in  octagonal  turrets, 
and  have  stories  of  narrow  pannels  and  windows, 
which  give  them  a resemblance  to  the  lighter 
towers  of  later  times.  In  the  interior,  this  church 
put  me  much  in  mind  of  my  old  German  acquaint- 
ances. The  pier-masses  and  the  plain  pier-arches 
are  such  as  are  common  in  Germany,  and  we  have 


282 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


here  moreover,  as  well  as  there,  the  triforium 
gallery  with  the  double  vaulting  of  the  aisles,  as 
at  Gloucester ; and  the  vaulted  gallery  at  the  west 
end,  as  at  Laach.  The  rest  of  this  splendid  ruin 
belongs  to  later  times,  and  serves  to  throw  no 
light  on  the  question  now  under  consideration. 

But  if  Jumieges  falls  in  with  the  notions  of 
some  English  antiquaries  concerning  the  two  kinds 
of  Norman,  St  George,  which  is  held  to  have 
equal  antiquity  on  equal  authority,  disagrees  with 
them.  Here,  it  is  true,  we  have  very  rude  bases, 
some,  looking  like  an  attempt  at  a round  between 
two  hollows,  and  others,  like  a trial  at  the  more 
common  combination  of  a hollow  between  two 
rounds.  And  a person  who  was  resolved  to  main- 
tain to  the  last  the  cause  of  early  simplicity, 
might  hold  that  the  bases  belong  to  the  historical 
epoch,  and  that  the  rest  is  more  modern.  I do 
not  think  this  compromise  would  long  avail  him, 
but  besides,  it  is  without  any  countenance  from 
the  building  itself ; and  I think  if  we  are  to  reason 
from  the  edifice  at  all,  we  must  allow  it  to  be  for 
the  most  part  of  one  date,  and  that,  as  has  been 
said,  the  first  half  of  the  11th  century.  Now  here 
we  have  a great  abundance  of  those  things  which 
are  excluded  from  the  supposed  first  Norman 
style.  Zigzags  large  and  small,  frets  lozenged 
and  embattled,  cable-mouldings,  studs,  &c.  The 
pier-arches  have  rolls , the  capitals  are  sculptured, 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


283 


not  without  some  skill,  the  triforium  is  an  arcade 
of  small  beaded  arches.  The  turrets  of  the  towers 
have  so  much  of  later  character  that  they  will  of 
course  be  abandoned  by  all  except  the  most  ex- 
travagant maintainers  of  the  precocity  of  Norman 
work  in  Normandy  as  compared  with  England; 
but  omitting  these,  the  chapter-house,  which  is 
said  to  have  been  built  by  an  abbot  who  was 
buried  there  in  1087,  is  another  great  advance  on 
any  thing  English  which  our  antiquaries  would 
attribute  to  such  a date.  It  has  very  rich  and 
well-executed  sculptures  of  considerable  delicacy, 
six-celled  vaulting  with  double-rolled  ribs,  and  the 
soffits  of  the  three  openings  into  it  also  enriched 
with  ribs  in  a six-celled  arrangement  occupying 
only  the  thickness  of  the  wall.  The  corbel-table 
from  which  the  vaulting  springs  has  pointed 
notches , and  the  windows  in  the  wall-scutcheons 
of  the  vaulting  have  pointed  heads : the  vaulting 
also  has  pointed  cells,  being  cross-vaulting,  in  two 
center  compartments,  and  accommodated  by  diverg- 
ing cells  to  three  windows  at  each  end.  The 
capitals  of  the  shafts  are  upright  foliage  with 
serrated  edges. 

I will  not  however  insist  longer  upon  this  re- 
markable chapter-house ; but  I think  the  church 
itself  goes  very  far  to  carry  back  the  usual 
Norman  ornaments  to  a date  earlier  than  that 
which  our  intelligent  countrymen  seem  willing  to 


284 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


allow.  And  when  from  this  point  we  proceed  to 
Caen,  the  wonder  see  ns  to  be  how  there  should  be 
any  doubt  about  the  matter.  For  the  two  great 
Abbeys  there,  built  by  William  the  Conqueror 
and  his  Queen,  have  as  incontestable  a claim  to 
their  date  of  1066  as  any  thing  can  well  have ; 
and  here  again  we  find  nearly  all  the  peculiarities 
which  have  been  mentioned.  Embattled  frets, 
rolls,  zigzags,  occur  in  both.  Much  has  been  said 
of  the  great  difference  between  the  two ; but  when 
they  are  stripped  of  the  additions  of  manifestly 
later  date,  this  difference  nearly  vanishes,  with 
the  exception  that  the  Abbaye  aux  Hommes 
(St  Stephen’s)  has  an  arch  above  the  pier-arch 
looking  into  the  aisle,  as  is  the  case  in  the  nave 
at  Rouen.  This  has  been  called  a triforium  arch, 
but  not  with  exact  propriety,  for  though  the  aisles 
are  now  vaulted  below  as  well  as  above  these  open 
arches,  so  as  to  make  a gallery,  the  lower  vault- 
ing is  manifestly  an  addition  of  the  13th  or  14th 
century;  and  probably  to  the  same  epoch  belongs 
the  open  triforium  balustrade  which  runs  along 
this  member,  and  makes  it  appear  a triforium.  In 
other  respects,  as  mouldings,  arches,  clerestory,  &c. 
the  two  buildings  much  resemble  each  other,  and 
confirm  our  persuasion  that  they  perfectly  repre- 
sent the  style  of  architecture  of  their  asserted  date. 
The  choir  of  the  Abbaye  aux  Hommes  may  by 
some  have  been  associated  with  the  nave,  but  it 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


285 


is,  to  an  eye  a little  practised,  manifestly  Early 
Gothic  closely  approaching  our  Early  English. 

Further  Account  of  French  Early  Gothic . 

Caen. 

If  however  we  take  this  choir  of  St  Stephen’s 
for  the  purpose  of  continuing  our  comparison  of 
the  French  and  English  Early  Gothic,  we  find 
very  considerable  differences  between  the  two. 
For  instance,  the  piers  consist  of  engaged  shafts 
between  square  pier-edges ; the  pier-arches  have 
Early  English  mouldings,  but  one  larger  roll  is 
cabled.  In  the  apse,  the  piers  are  columns  two 
deep.  In  the  side-aisles,  the  wall-pillars  are  cir- 
cular piers  (engaged)  surrounded  with  shafts,  of 
which  those  only  are  detached  which  can  shew 
the  light  of  the  window  between  pillar  and 
shaft  in  consequence  of  their  oblique  position ; an 
arrangement  which  shews,  both  that  the  architect 
of  this  part  was  alive  to  the  beauty  of  detached 
shafts,  and  that  some  impediment,  probably  the 
nature  of  his  material,  prevented  his  attempting 
this  rich  mode  of  ornament  when  its  effect  was 
not  likely  to  be  prominent.  The  abacus  of  each 
of  these  clusters  is  a circular  one,  common  to  the 
whole  cluster,  and  not  resulting  from  the  aggre- 
gation of  a circular  abacus  to  each  shaft,  as  occurs 
in  our  way  of  forming  such  piers.  The  triforium 


286 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


has  round-headed  arches  including  pointed  ones, 
with  trefoils  in  the  tympanum,  as  at  Salisbury ; but 
the  clerestory  consists  of  a triple  window  different 
from  any  of  ours,  the  middle  light  being  pointed 
on  shafts,  but  the  lateral  ones  being  only  half- 
lights  with  quadrantal  heads,  so  that  the  middle 
one  being  removed,  they  would  make  a round- 
headed  one.  This  is  the  internal  face  of  the 
wall  of  each  compartment,  while  the  correspond- 
ing external  face  is  occupied  by  two  small  pointed 
windows.  The  pier-arches  have  sunk  stars  or 
cinq-  or  sixfoils  in  the  spandrels.  An  arrange- 
ment which  gives  great  lightness  and  variety  to 
this  apse,  is  that  the  buttress-walls  separating  the 
apsidal  chapels  are  pierced  with  an  arched  opening 
on  shafts,  the  soffit  enriched  with  another  rib 
on  shafts. 

The  choir  of  St  Stephen  gives  us  an  example 
of  a very  early  stage  of  Early  Gothic  architecture 
in  France.  We  may  find  other  examples  in  the 
city  or  neighbourhood.  The  church-tower  of  the 
village  of  Ifs,  about  a league  from  Caen,  ought 
perhaps  not  to  be  included  in  this  class;  for  its 
ornaments  are  altogether  Norman — zigzags,  bil- 
lets, &c.  Yet  it  has  pointed  arches  in  the  upper 
story,  which  has  no  appearance  of  being  later 
than  the  rest;  and  if  any  doubt  should  arise  in 
consequence  of  this  circumstance,  it  might  be 
removed  by  observing  that  the  ground-story  has 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


287 


also,  internally,  pointed  arches  mixed  with  round 
ones.  Moreover  the  arcades  of  pannels  (some  of 
them  windows)  which  occupy  each  story  have  two 
or  three  shafts  in  the  side  of  the  opening,  and 
as  many  rolls  in  the  mouldings  of  its  head, 
which  must  he  held  to  be  a mark  of  approxima- 
tion to  Gothic.  This  mode  of  covering  the  out- 
side of  towers  with  rows  of  tall  narrow  arches, 
on  shafts,  or  separated  by  slips  alone,  with  orna- 
ments of  various  kinds,  must  have  prevailed  for 
a considerable  period,  for  we  find  it  at  two  other 
villages  in  this  neighbourhood,  Haute  and  Basse 
Allemagne,  where  the  workmanship  is  rude  and 
the  joints  are  thick;  and  in  the  former  of  these 
two  towers  the  pannels  are  formed  by  intersect- 
ing arches ; the  spaces  which  they  include,  ne- 
cessarily pointed  however  rudely,  are  pierced. 
This  tower  is  supported  on  four  little  piers,  with 
thick  transverse  and  diagonal  rolls,  so  low  that 
you  may  touch  the  abacus  with  your  hand,  and 
yet  not  clumsy. 

Ardenne. 

There  is  a ruin  near  Caen  which  has  not  been 
mentioned,  so  far  as  I know,  by  any  of  our  tra- 
vellers or  antiquaries,  but  which  is  very  beautiful 
and  remarkable,  and  well  adapted  to  illustrate 
the  other  extremity  of  the  history  of  the  Early 


288 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


Gothic — its  transition  into  the  Decorated  or  Ge- 
ometrical Gothic.  This  is  the  ancient  Abbey  of 
Ardenne,  now  a farm-yard. 

I do  not  linger  at  its  fine  gate-tower,  which 
contains  a wide  semicircular-headed  gate  and  a 
pointed  wicket,  the  former  as  well  as  the  latter 
with  good  Early  English  mouldings,  but  with 
the  addition  of  a line  of  square  billets.  I enter 
beneath  the  vault  of  this  tower,  of  good  Early 
English  structure,  with  corresponding  ribs ; I look 
back  at  the  apartment  above,  with  its  little  trefoil- 
headed windows,  originally  double ; I pass  by  its 
magnificent  stables,  and  a buttressed  barn,  which 
puts  to  utter  shame  the  largest  of  our  edifices  of 
this  kind;  I proceed  past  the  roofless  halls  and 
Italian  saloons,  now  undergoing  demolition,  of  its 
mansion-house,  and  hasten  to  the  beautiful  church, 
now  converted  into  a hay-house.  This  strikes 
us  at  once  as  strongly  resembling  the  Early 
English  of  our  best  abbeys  (Bolton  or  Newstead), 
and  on  examination  we  find  the  resemblance  in 
details,  closer  than  in  any  instance  we  have  yet 
seen.  Its  piers  consist  of  a central  column  sur- 
rounded by  four  shafts,  not  detached,  perhaps 
for  the  reason  already  suggested  at  St  Stephen. 
But  they  have  the  Early  English  double  base, 
retaining  its  circular  outline  to  the  very  floor ; 
and  the  abacus  of  its  proper  Early  English  form 
over  the  upright  foliage  of  their  capitals.  The 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


289 


pier- arch  has  on  each  face  its  three  rolls,  (the 
middle  one  filleted),  with  intervening  rectangular 
channels.  The  vaulting  shafts  spring  from  the 
floor,  and  have  Early  English  capitals,  and  the 
triforium  has  open  trefoil-headed  pannels  with 
beaded  edges,  and  lines  of  small  sunk  trefoils  in 
the  spandrels  and  over  the  heads  of  these  pannels, 
(which  only  occupy  the  foot  of  the  window),  this 
triforium  being  capped  (as  well  as  supported)  by 
a strong  string,  which  is  stopped  only  by  the 
vaulting  shafts.  The  windows  have  a Decorated 
character,  being  divided  into  two  lights  by  a mul- 
lion  which  splits  at  top  and  takes  a trefoil  between 
its  branches. 

But  the  west  front  is  perhaps  the  most  no- 
ticeable part,  being  in  its  details  excellent  Early 
English,  while  in  its  plan  it  appears  to  be  a sort 
of  first  sketch  of  the  Flamboyant  Fronts,  of  which 
we  have  several  times  had  to  speak.  The  center 
compartment  is  divided  from  those  which  close  the 
side  aisles  by  engaged  octagon  towers,  of  which 
the  front  face  assumes  the  form  of  a buttress  with 
two  plaited  set-offs,  and  these  towers  were  probably 
at  first  terminated  by  octagonal  pyramids.  The 
central  compartment  has  not  the  three  galleries 
of  the  later  fronts,  which  we  may  call  the  portal- 
gallery,  the  transom-gallery,  and  the  gable-gallery; 
but  their  effect  is  in  part  given  by  two  consider- 
able slopes  corresponding  to  the  two  former  mem- 
20 


290 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


bers,  and  a remarkable  line  of  small  acute  pedi- 
ments which  runs  along  in  front  of  the  foot  of 
the  gable.  This  pedimented  parapet  is  pierced  in 
quatrefoils  below,  and  in  trefoils  and  single  holes 
in  the  pediments,  and  these,  within  the  roll  which 
forms  their  edge,  have  a line  of  points  producing 
partly  the  effect  of  the  toothed  ornament.  These 
pediments,  as  well  as  the  gable  itself,  have  had 
stiff  crockets  along  them.  The  window  is  filled 
by  a rose ; but,  unlike  the  common  French  win- 
dows, has  this  rose  in  a pointed  arch ; while  in 
general,  even  in  buildings  clearly  not  later  than 
Decorated,  as  the  west  front  of  St  Peter  at  Caen, 
the  rose  forms  the  head  of  the  window,  and  makes 
it  semicircular.  The  tracery  of  the  rose  is  also 
Engli&h  flowing  tracery,  not  French  Flamboyant, 
and  is  very  gracefully  formed  by  throwing  out 
six  leaves  from  the  center,  bisecting  these  by  other 
leaves,  doubling  these  in  the  extremities,  and  tre- 
foil-feathering each  point  thus  produced.  The 
part  below  the  slope  which  comes  from  the  bottom 
of  this  rose  is  solid,  with  panneling  lines  raised 
and  feathered.  But  the  portal  itself  which  comes 
below  the  next  slope  is  the  richest  part  of  this 
front.  Its  mouldings  rest  on  shafts  not  only  de- 
tached, but  having  behind  them  a line  of  shafts 
supporting  pointed  heads  with  little  trefoil  spaces 
between.  The  abacuses  of  these  shafts  are,  how- 
ever, square,  the  capitals  of  upright  curled  foliage, 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


291 


most  beautiful  and  delicate  in  its  workmanship,  but 
somewhat  different  from  common  English  capitals 
in  having  small  fruits  sculptured  on  the  lower  part 
of  the  wall  of  foliage.  The  mouldings  are  emi- 
nently bold  and  good,  but  among  them  are  two 
lines  of  foliage-moulding  rather  French  than  En- 
glish, one,  on  the  outside,  of  leaves  cut  hollow, 
folded  obliquely  over ; the  other  a broad  and  large 
line  of  stiff-pointed  curled  tufts  of  foliage  curling 
upwards  and  bending  forwards.  The  door  has  been 
double,  with  a horizontal  line  in  the  pediment,  and 
above  this  a trefoil-headed  niche  and  sculpture. 
The  doors  of  the  side  compartments  and  the  win- 
dows above  them  are  also  excellent  Early  English. 
The  doors  have  segmental  heads  below,  and  a six- 
foiled  arch  in  the  tympanum.  Flanking  these 
compartments,  are  buttresses  with  triangular  heads 
and  a single  plaited  set-off.  The  side  doors  are 
surmounted  by  windows  with  stout  shafts  and 
good  mouldings,  in  one  feathered  light. 

The  mouldings  and  details  of  this  work  are 
so  much  like  those  of  our  country,  that  we  can 
hardly  help  suspecting  some  English  influence, 
while  the  general  arrangement  is  such  as  might 
easily  lead  to  the  north  front  of  Rouen  Cathedral, 
though  the  interval  of  this  developement  may  be 
conceived  to  have  been  considerable. 


20—2 


W2 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


Norrey. 

At  a succeeding  stage  of  our  researches  we 
discovered,  by  what  we  considered  good  fortune, 
though  it  cost  us  no  small  trouble  in  the  sequel, 
a country  church  which  is  as  genuine  and  beau- 
tiful a specimen  of  Early  English  as  England 
itself  can  supply.  This  is  the  miniature  cathedral 
(for  though  only  a village-church  it  may  he  so 
termed)  of  Norrey  near  Caen.  The  choir  of  this 
church,  with  its  transept,  is  in  perfect  preserva- 
tion ; the  nave  is  very  plain,  and  has  no  aisles 
and  few  windows,  having  been  apparently  a good 
deal  injured.  The  choir,  small  as  it  is,  has  a 
splendid  effect.  All  the  mouldings  are  deep,  free, 
and  repeated  after  the  Early  English  fashion,  so 
as  to  give  the  greatest  strength  of  line  to  all  the 
parts.  The  piers,  the  pier-arches,  the  wall-arcades, 
the  hands  of  ornament  under  the  strings,  the  win- 
dows in  the  side-aisle,  formed  by  piercing  the  center 
light  of  a triple  window  on  shafts,  the  capitals, 
the  beautiful  sculpture,  the  bases,  (two  rounds 
with  a hollow,  or  with  a line  of  studs  between 
the  two  tori,)  the  external  slopes  of  the  window- 
sides,  the  dripstones  running  horizontally  as  strings, 
the  triangular  heads  of  buttresses,  their  plaited 
set-offs,  the  polygonal  turrets  terminated  by  pyra- 
midal caps  and  enriched  by  shafts  at  their  angles ; 
— every  thing,  in  short,  brings  before  us  the  purest 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


293 


and  simplest  kinds  of  Early  English  architecture. 
Even  perfect  and  free-cut  toothed  ornament  is  to 
he  found,  which  hitherto  we  have  never  seen.  It 
occurs  in  the  exterior  moulding  of  the  south  porch, 
of  which  the  mouldings  in  other  respects  resemble 
those  of  Ardenne.  The  choir  consists  of  three 
well  proportioned  stories,  the  pier-arch  being  sup- 
ported by  small  clustered  piers,  which  however  are 
not  free,  and  have  certain  fillet  edges  between 
them,  not  corresponding  precisely  to  any  thing  in 
our  Early  English  piers.  In  the  apside,  where 
the  narrow  arches  require  narrower  piers,  these 
consist  of  two  columns  set  double  in  the  direction 
of  the  wall.  The  triforium  is  four  pointed  beaded 
pannels  on  triple  shafts  (not  detached  from  each 
other),  and  the  clerestory  is  a single  window  with- 
out shafts,  but  with  a roll.  Below  the  horizontal 
strings  are  lines  of  trefoil  holes ; and  the  vaulting 
shafts  spring  from  the  capital  in  the  apse,  but 
from  the  floor  in  the  rest  of  the  choir.  The  aisles 
are  eminently  rich,  having  lines  of  arcades  with 
hold  free  mouldings,  and  above  these  a line  of 
sculpture  of  considerable  breadth,  very  well  exe- 
cuted, fanciful,  and  varied.  The  most  curious  part 
of  the  church  are  two  polygonal  apse  chapels,  which 
open  into  the  aisles  in  the  usual  manner,  with  di- 
verging vaulting  cells  from  shafts  in  their  angles. 
These  chapels  have  the  wall-string  and  its  ac- 
companying sculpture,  and  have  moreover  very  good 


29  4 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


piscinae,  the  shaft  having  below  it  a well-cut  string 
of  foliage:  they  are  roofed  with  curious  pyramidal 
stone  roofs,  very  tall,  as  if  those  had  belonged  to 
a much  higher  church.  There  is  also  a good  porch 
under  a triangular  pediment,  containing  a double 
door  with  a straight  head  and  niches  in  the  tym- 
panum. 

The  part  of  the  church  which  first  attracted 
our  attention  by  its  remarkable  appearance  at  a 
distance,  and  induced  us  to  visit  Norrey,  was  the 
tower,  a tall  free  story  on  clustered  shafts,  with 
the  daylight  seen  through  its  lancet-windows.  This 
attraction,  it  may  be  observed  in  passing,  turned 
out  a snare,  and  led  to  inconveniences  which  it 
required  all  our  antiquarian  zeal  to  consider  as 
compensated  by  the  remarkable  character  and  great 
beauty  of  this  building ; for  a serjeant-major  of  the 
national  guard  of  Norrey  considered  our  attentions 
to  his  church  to  be  alarming,  and  declared  us  his 
prisoners ; and  as  the  mayor  of  that  place  was 
from  home,  being  gone  to  market  to  sell  his  corn, 
we  were,  after  a delay  of  an  hour  and  a half, 
marched  under  a guard  of  three  sabres  and  two 
fowling-pieces  to  the  next  village,  Bretteville,  where 
the  mayor  was  reasonable  enough  to  decide  that 
antiquaries  were  not  dangerous  people,  and  dis- 
missed us,  to  the  no  small  indignation  of  our 


convoy 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


29  5 


Other  Specimens  resembling  Early  English. 

After  this  point  we  found  Early  English  in 
considerable  abundance,  with  most  of  the  peculi- 
arities of  our  examples,  and  with  that  uniform 
goodness  of  work  which  distinguishes  the  style  in 
our  country : the  details  are  considerably  modified 
by  the  materials,  but  the  characters  are  most  clear 
and  decided.  Thus,  proceeding  from  Bayeux,  we 
find  the  little  church  of  Subles,  with  its  west  end 
marked  by  buttresses,  and  faces  with  buttress-slopes, 
inclosing  a plain  door  and  window-pannel,  and  sur- 
mounted by  a two-light  belfry.  This  church,  with 
its  small  windows,  flat  buttresses,  and  line  of  cor- 
bels along  the  wall-plate,  is  as  simple  an  example 
as  can  be  imagined  of  Early  English  (having  no 
aisles,  transept,  or  tower,)  and  is  yet  quite  charac- 
teristic. 

Passing  St  Lo,  where  the  west  front  of  the 
cathedral  offers  an  Early  English  portal  of  doubtful 
authenticity  (for  the  Flamboyant  architects  appear 
to  have  tampered  with  it  to  an  unknown  extent), 
we  find  St  Gilles,  a village  in  a slate  country,  and 
modified  in  some  respects  by  this  circumstance. 
Thus  the  pier-arches  are  here  so  thick  that  there 
are  two  shafts  in  the  side  of  the  pier,  each  of 
which  supports  its  own  chamfered  rib.  The  tower 
stands  over  the  compartment  which  divides  nave 
and  chancel.  The  windows  are  long  lancet  win- 


296 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


dows  standing  high  on  a string,  in  the  wall-scut- 
cheons  of  the  rude  quadripartite  vaulting.  The 
east  end  has  an  Early  English  triple  window,  and 
all  the  shafts  have  capitals  and  bases  of  the  same 
style.  There  is  a portion  of  a Norman  tower  (one 
side  only  being  built)  which  shews  that  the  two 
styles  were  going  on  nearly  at  the  same  time,  for 
the  Norman  part  above  rests  on  Early  English 
work  below. 

Passing  by  Coutances,  and  confining  ourselves 
to  country  churches,  we  come  to  St  Sauveur  le 
Lendelm,  which  has  in  the  side  of  its  piers  an 
attached  shaft  with  round  abacus.  Perier,  which 
lies  a little  beyond,  has  the  choir  and  the  aisles 
of  the  nave  Flamboyant,  and  in  this  instance  the 
shafts  in  the  sides  of  the  piers  are  free,  which  is 
uncommon  in  France,  though  so  general  in  Eng- 
land. At  Isigny  again  we  have  an  Early  English 
building,  with  an  English  triple  window  of  lancet- 
windows  in  the  east  end.  In  this  case  the  com- 
pound piers  have  the  pier-edges  between  the  shafts 
cut  into  angular  fillets  by  deep  hollows  ; this  occurs 
at  Norrey,  at  St  Loup  in  Bayeux,  and  elsewhere. 
This  church  at  Isigny,  like  that  at  Norrey,  has, 
east  of  the  transept,  a narrow  aisle,  nearly  as  high 
as  the  transept  itself,  vaulted  from  the  clustered 
piers  of  the  transept,  and  producing  a very  pleas- 
ing effect. 

Returning  towards  Bayeux,  we  find  the  churches 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


297 


of  Formigny  and  Vaucelles.  The  choir  of  the 
former  place  is  vaulted  from  triple  shafts,  hut  the 
eastern  compartment  has  an  arrangement  of  the 
vaulting  which,  with  some  modifications,  appears 
to  be  common  in  this  district.  The  eastern  side  of 
this  compartment  is  vaulted  with  six-celled  vault- 
ing, which  appears  to  have  been  originally  accom- 
modated to  a triplet  of  windows  in  the  east  end, 
though  this  is  now  replaced  by  a window  of  geo- 
metrical tracery.  The  windows  of  this  choir  are 
of  rather  a curious  form,  having  a little  shoulder 
on  each  side  the  head.  They  are  surrounded  (ex- 
cept the  bottom)  by  a roll-moulding. 

But  perhaps  the  most  elegant  and  complete  ex- 
ample of  this  style  is  the  chapel  of  the  Seminary 
at  Bayeux;  a plain  room  without  aisles,  but  very 
beautifully  arranged.  The  details  resemble  those 
of  the  Temple  church  in  London,  in  the  shafts, 
capitals,  vaulting,  &c.  The  windows  are  in  pairs, 
separated  by  a shaft  quite  free  from  the  wall-strip, 
and  connected  with  it  by  a flowered  impost-mould- 
ing. The  west  end  has  an  Early  English  triplet 
inside,  and  outside  a very  good  combination  of  faces 
with  buttress-slopes.  The  arrangement  of  the  east- 
end  interior  is  remarkable  in  itself,  and  still  more 
so  when  considered  as  one  modification  of  a very 
curious  and  elegant  mode  of  dealing  with  that  part 
of  the  building,  which  occurs  in  several  churches, 
and  which  is  perhaps  seen  most  remarkably  de- 


298 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


veloped  when  we  come  to  the  Decorated  choir  of 
Tour  en  Bessin.  The  peculiarity  of  this  mode  is, 
that  it  unites  in  a considerable  degree  the  effect 
of  the  polygonal  apse  and  of  the  east  window, 
having  diverging  vaulting,  but  with  eastern  lights. 
In  most  of  the  Early  English  instances,  as  For- 
migny  above  spoken  of,  and  at  St  Loup,  these 
eastern  lights  are  a common  triplet ; but  in  the 
chapel  of  the  Seminary  now  described,  there  are 
two  polygonal  recesses  separated  by  a clustered 
shaft,  and  again  by  another,  these  two  clusters 
being  joined  by  a lancet-head  in  the  direction  of 
the  length.  The  polygons  thus  formed  have  each 
live  of  the  sides  of  an  octagon,  and  are  cut  off  by 
a transverse  rib  from  the  end  of  the  choir,  beyond 
which  rib  they  are  vaulted  in  diverging  cells,  one 
to  each  side,  the  ribs  of  the  vaulting  running 
back  till  they  are  stopped  by  the  transverse  rib ; 
and  the  three  pannels  in  the  faces  of  each  poly- 
gon, which  are  to  the  east,  to  the  north  and  south, 
and  to  the  intermediate  point,  have  probably  been 
pierced  as  windows.  The  shafts  of  the  windows, 
and  among  the  rest,  of  the  longitudinal  opening 
which  separates  the  two  polygons,  are  of  course 
much  higher  than  those  of  the  vaulting;  and  as 
the  inner  dividing  cluster  sends  a longitudinal  rib 
along  the  main  vaulting  as  far  as  the  boss,  it  has 
on  its  two  sides  two  capitals  of  very  different 
heights. 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


299 


In  the  district  west  of  Caen  almost  every  church 
has  traces,  more  or  less  abundant,  of  Early  English 
work;  and  these  are  generally  very  well  charac- 
terised; and  in  their  mouldings,  bases,  capitals* 
strings,  buttresses,  pinnacles,  &c.  remarkably  faith- 
ful to  the  type  existing  in  our  own  country.  In 
addition  to  specimens  already  spoken  of,  I may 
mention  Vaucelles,  near  Bayeux,  (Vaucelles  is  a 
name  given  to  places  in  the  suburbs  of  several 
cities,  and  is  said  to  be  a diminutive  from  vaux, 
valleys:  I suppose  Vauxhall  is  originally  the  same 
word),  the  choir  and  tow7er  of  Tilly,  the  choir  of 
Fontenay,  St  Auban,  the  west-end  doors  of  Cheux; 
and  though  the  rest  of  the  nave  is  perhaps  too 
strongly  tinged  with  Norman  to  be  here  adduced, 
yet  the  bases  and  capitals  are  quite  clearly  cha- 
racterised. 


Transition  from  the  Norman  to  the  Gothic  Style . 

Cheux. 

The  transition  which  has  hitherto  occupied  most 
generally  the  attention  of  antiquaries  has  been  that 
from  the  Romanesque  to  the  Gothic ; or,  as  the 
question  has  been  far  too  narrowly  stated,  from 

the  round-arch  to  the  pointed-arch  style.  This 

transition  appears  to  assume  very  different  forms 
in  different  countries.  In  England  it  may  per- 
haps justly  be  termed  a struggle;  but  here  in 


300 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


Normandy  it  takes  place  without  any  appearance 
of  violence,  and  by  the  most  insensible  gradations. 
The  round  and  the  pointed  arch,  especially  a very 
obscurely  pointed  arch,  are  found  mixed  in  the 
most  indiscriminate  manner  in  a great  number  of 
churches  of  Lower  Normandy;  and  when  this  oc- 
curs, the  mouldings  appear  also  to  be  passing  from 
Norman  to  Gothic  forms.  Cheux  is  perhaps  one 
of  the  most  remarkable  of  these  examples.  The 
choir  and  the  semicircular  apse  are  apparently 
very  early  Norman,  and  serve  well  to  contrast  with 
the  late  or  transition  Norman  of  the  choir.  In 
this,  the  pier-arches,  chancel-arches,  and  western 
doors,  are  pointed;  the  latter  with  well-developed 
and  excellent  Early  English  mouldings ; the  for- 
mer with  mouldings  tending  to  Early  English,  but 
still  preserving  something  of  the  architrave-like 
character  of  Norman  work.  At  the  same  time  the 
clerestory  has  round-headed  windows,  in  the  form 
of  recesses  on  shafts,  within,  which  correspond,  out- 
side, to  a complete  arcade  of  round-headed  arches. 
The  windows  themselves,  formed  by  piercing  the 
middle  pannel  of  each  triplet  of  this  arcade,  are 
little  more  than  slits,  but  are  clearly  pointed,  as 
are  also  those  of  the  aisles,  which  are  equally 
round-headed  within,  but  without  shafts.  St  Man- 
vieux,  a little  nearer  Caen,  offers  a similar  mixture, 
as  do  Fontenay,  the  nave  of  Formigny,  and  a great 
number  of  other  churches.  When  we  have  the 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


301 


pointed  arch  with  clearly  Norman  architraves  or 
mouldings,  as  zigzags,  beak-heads,  embattled  frets, 
&c.  the  transition  is  less  gently  conducted.  M. 
de  Caumont  has  collected  above  fifty  such  in- 
stances. We  saw  a few,  as  the  north  door  at 
Carentan;  and  indeed  they*  are  by  no  means  un- 
common, though  they  always  strike  the  eye  as 
something  incongruous. 

The  Transition  as  seen  in  Early  French  Towers. 

The  transition  from  the  unmixed  Romanesque, 
which  English  and  French  writers  generally  call 
Norman,  to  that  style  of  Early  Gothic  which  we 
know  so  well  under  the  name  of  Early  English, 
may  be  traced  best  perhaps  in  the  towers  of  churches 
in  Normandy ; for,  taking  it  as  it  occurs  in  these, 
it  is  easy  to  make  out  a series  of  steps  such  that 
it  is  scarcely  possible  to  say  that  any  one  of  the 
successive  changes  can  be  called  an  essential  alter- 
ation, and  yet  the  two  extremes  of  the  series  are 
perfectly  clear  and  well  characterised  examples  of 
the  two  styles.  Thus  we  may  begin  with  towers 
such  as  those  of  St  Stephen  at  Caen,  or  St  George 
de  Bocherville,  or  even  Jumieges.  They  consist  of 
several  stories,  each  marked  by  a number  of  round- 
headed  openings  or  pannels,  the  latter  being  merely 
sunk  surfaces,  the  former  mere  apertures  having 
perhaps  an  impost-tablet.  These  features  then  ac- 


302 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


quire  roll-mouldings,  and  the  windows  have  a shaft 
in  each  side*  This  would  hardly  by  any  one  be 
considered  as  a deviation  from  the  simplest  Nor- 
man. The  windows  being  in  a thick  wall,  not 
one  only,  but  two  shafts  and  two  roll-mouldings, 
are  introduced,  with  %quare  edges  between  each. 
From  this  form  we  pass  to  three  shafts  and  three 
rolls : the  windows  thus  enriched  occupy  the  whole 
face  of  the  wall,  and  the  outermost  shafts  of  con- 
tiguous windows  form  a close  couple.  The  pannels 
are  treated  in  the  same  way.  The  whole  tower 
thus  becomes  an  aggregate  of  vertical  lines,  with 
the  small  exception  of  the  heads  of  the  windows, 
which  appear,  from  the  nature  of  their  mouldings, 
a continuation  of  the  shafts.  When  the  change  is 
thus  far  advanced,  the  substitution  of  a pointed 
arch  to  the  windows  instead  of  a round  one  is 
scarcely  observed  as  an  additional  alteration.  The 
main  features  of  these  towers  are,  then,  the  fine 
bundles  of  slender  shafts  which  separate  the  open- 
ings and  constitute  the  substance  of  the  tower. 
In  this  form  the  vertical  extension  of  these  clusters, 
and  the  consequent  comparative  elongation  of  the 
openings,  goes  on  without  giving  any  character  of 
a new  style,  but  only  of  additional  lightness  and 
grace.  In  this  manner  we  reach  a kind  of  tower 
which  has  all  the  appearance  of  the  most  pure  and 
beautiful  Early  English. 

This  series  of  changes  is  completely  developed 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


303 


in  Lower  Normandy.  Jumieges  has  only  single 
shafts  in  the  sides  of  the  openings,  and  the  pan- 
nels  have  none.  Haute  Allemagne,  of  which  the 
work  is  rude,  has  intersecting  arches,  with  zigzag 
mouldings.  These  and  other  enrichments  of  the 
mouldings  are  unessential  features,  except  so  far 
as  they  connect  us  with  our  starting  point  in  the 
Norman  style;  they  gradually  disappear  as  we  pro- 
ceed. At  Basse  Allemagne  we  have  the  pannels 
on  shafts.  At  St  Michael  de  Vaucelles,  and  at 
Ifs  also,  near  Caen,  we  have  a much  finer  church 
with  three  shafts  in  the  sides  of  the  openings:  in 
this  case  the  openings  of  the  upper  story,  formed 
in  the  same  way,  have  pointed  heads.  Here  also 
we  have  those  polygonal  turrets  on  slender  shafts 
at  the  angles  of  the  square  towers  which  approach 
so  nearly  to  the  lightest  imaginable  Early  English 
pinnacles ; and  we  have  canopied  windows  also,  on 
slender  shafts,  projecting  from  the  base  of  the  spire 
in  each  face,  with  triangular  pediments;  the  whole 
tending  to  produce  a cluster  of  subordinate  spires, 
out  of  which  the  principal  one  rises  with  the  grace 
which  we  admire  in  our  later  spires,  as  St  Mary’s 
at  Oxford.  Coutances  offers,  in  its  western  towers, 
fine  examples  of  this  grouping;  while  the  mem- 
bers still  remain  such  as  they  have  been  described, 
and  those  of  St  Stephen  are  very  little  inferior. 

But,  before  we  reach  this  point,  we  may  ex- 
emplify some  of  the  intermediate  alterations  of  the 


304 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


tower.  St  Gilles,  near  St  Lo,  has  one  side  of  a 
tower  of  which  the  belfry-story  is  occupied  by  three 
windows  entirely  Norman,  but  still  covering  the 
whole  face.  Formigny  has  a tower  in  which  there 
are  two  such  stories  with  three  shafts  in  each  side, 
the  lower  of  three,  the  upper  of  two  windows,  and 
the  upper  windows  again  bisected  by  a shaft.  Here 
the  vertical  clusters  of  lines  are  somewhat  inter- 
rupted by  the  want  of  correspondence  between  the 
two  stories,  though  the  windows  are  pointed ; and 
the  covering  is  a pack-saddle  roof,  a summit  of 
very  frequent  occurrence  in  this  district.  At  Tour 
en  Bessin,  a little  nearer  Bayeux,  the  tower  as- 
sumes a much  more  Gothic  appearance,  having  two 
tall  windows  in  each  face,  in  the  sides  of  which 
we  may  reckon  four  shafts  besides  the  one  within 
the  opening,  and  these  recesses  are  pointed,  and 
are  moreover  flanked  by  two  narrow  pointed  pan- 
nels ; yet  here  the  outermost  moulding  of  the 
window  carries  the  fillet-moulding.  This  tower 
has  a spire  with  corner  turrets,  and  canopied 
windows,  such  as  have  been  described,  except 
that  the  former  have  beaded  slips  in  their  sides 
instead  of  shafts,  and  the  latter  have  their  sides 
formed,  not  of  shafts,  but  of  walls  with  triple 
shafts,  like  the  window  below.  This  arrangement 
gives  a decidedly  Gothic  character  to  this  spire ; 
and  probably  any  one  would  rank  it,  as  M.  de 
Caumont  has  done,  in  the  lancet  style.  Finally, 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY.  305 

by  the  elongation  of  these  windows  and  pannels, 
we  obtain  the  beautiful  tower  of  Norrey,  which,  at 
a distance,  appears  like  an  open  temple  in  the  air, 
and  invites  the  traveller  to  examine  the  admirable 
Early  English  choir,  perfect  in  every  way,  from 
which  it  rises. 

It  may  be  observed,  that  the  habit  of  flanking 
the  windows  by  pannels  of  smaller  width  obtains  in 
the  Norman  towers  also,  (see  the  plate  of  Vienne 
in  the  Mem.  Antiq.  Norm.)  In  the  course  of  the 
change  above  described,  the  Norman  corbel-table 
becomes  a string  supported  by  corbels,  like  mo- 
dillions.  These  towers,  even  when  they  become 
as  clearly  Early  English  as  Norrey,  have  no  os- 
tensible buttresses,  but  they  spread  downwards  to 
the  north  and  south  ; and  the  projection  thus  given 
is  carried  off  upwards  in  shallow  buttresses  against 
the  outward  face,  and  is  cut  out  internally  in 
the  deep  arches  of  the  north  and  south  windows 
of  the  lower  compartment ; as  at  Vaucelles  near 
Caen,  Tour,  and  Formigny. 

We  may  add  to  the  above  examples  the  tower 
of  Tilly,  where  the  edges  of  the  tower  are  cham- 
fered, and  shafts  placed  near  the  chamfer;  where 
also  the  four  shafts  in  each  window-side  have  be- 
tween them,  not  square  edges,  but  prismatic  fillets 
with  channels,  as  in  the  piers  at  St  Loup  (Ba- 
yeux),  at  Norrey,  &c.  and  where  the  pointed  belfry- 
windows  have  dripstones  full  of  nail-heads,  much 
21 


306 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


resembling  in  effect  the  Early  English  toothed 
ornament. 

In  this  manner  we  pass  on  insensibly  to  such 
beautiful  and  complete  Gothic  towers  as  those  of 
St  John  and  St  Peter  at  Caen,  which  differ  from 
those  just  mentioned  only  in  the  details,  the  shafts 
here  being  of  the  Decorated  style,  the  belfry-win- 
dows (as  least  in  the  latter  church)  crocheted  and 
finialed,  the  pannels  in  the  roof-story  having  tri- 
angular canopies,  and  the  strings  and  tablets  being 
enriched  with  foliage.  Even  the  corner-turrets  and 
the  canopied  windows  at  the  foot  of  the  spire-faces 
in  St  Peter  are  merely  translations  of  those  of  St 
Stephen  and  similar  ones,  into  Decorated  language. 

On  the  Formation  of  the  Gothic  Style . 

The  question  of  the  origin  of  the  Gothic  style 
has  become  both  frivolous  and  insoluble,  by  being 
identified  with  the  question  of  “ the  origin  of  the 
pointed  arch.”  To  discover  the  first  building  in 
which  such  arches  were  employed,  or  the  name  of 
the  architect  who  was  first  led,  by  whatever  acci- 
dental suggestion  or  necessity  of  construction,  to 
adopt  such  a form,  is  a task  which  it  might  have 
been  supposed  no  one,  at  the  distance  of  six  or 
seven  hundred  years,  would  expect  to  succeed  in ; 
and  even  if  we  could  obtain  a reasonable  proba- 
bility on  this  point,  such  knowledge  would  not  in 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


307 


itself  be  of  more  value  than  that  of  the  first  use 
of  the  trefoil-headed  opening,  or  a dozen  other 
similar  problems.  And  while  the  origin  of  the 
mere  pointed  arch  is  thus  a trifling  enquiry,  the 
origin  of  the  Gothic  style,  a style  most  beautiful 
and  complete  in  itself,  and  the  antithesis  in  many 
respects  of  that  which  preceded  it,  is  a question 
of  high  interest  in  the  history  of  art  and  the 
philosophy  of  taste,  as  well  as  a remarkable  point 
for  antiquarian  research.  In  speaking  therefore  of 
the  first  growth  of  the  Gothic  style,  it  will  be  ad- 
visable to  give  our  chief  attention  to  other  points 
rather  than  to  the  mere  form  of  the  arch ; we  shall 
find  the  latter  fall  into  its  place  as  we  proceed. 
On  this  subject  the  following  suggestion  is,  I think, 
worth  some  attention. 

A portion  of  the  side  of  the  interior  of  a Nor- 
man church  may  be  considered  as  consisting  of  an 
arch  supported  on  piers,  and  a window  pierced  in 
the  wall  which  this  arch  sustains.  The  character- 
istic circumstances  are,  that  the  pier  is  a column,  or  a 
mass  of  wall  not  broken  into  small  shafts  and  vertical 
parts ; that  the  arch  is  cut  square  in  the  wall,  with, 
perhaps,  one  sunk  face,  but  with  no  oblique  group 
of  mouldings,  nor  any  correspondence  whatever 
between  the  parts  of  the  archivolt  and  of  the  pier, 
the  former  being  in  fact  an  architrave:  and  the 
window  above  is  a perforation  in  the  wall,  with  no 
necessary  relation  to  the  members  below.  In  the 

21—2 


308 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


Gothic  style  these  circumstances  are  all  altered. 
The  pier  is,  in  the  most  complete  examples,  a 
collection  of  vertical  shafts  surrounding  a pillar,  of 
which  the  edges  are  no  longer  square.  The  archi- 
volt  consists  of  members  corresponding  more  or  less 
to  the  members  of  the  pier,  and  consequently  is 
composed  of  a collection  of  rounds  and  hollows,  and 
loses  all  trace  of  its  original  rectangular  section. 
The  piers  send  up  vaulting  shafts,  which  give  an 
independent  unity  to  the  compartment  which  they 
bound;  and  the  clerestory  window  and  its  accom- 
paniment have  a necessary  relation  to  the  symme- 
try of  this  compartment ; the  triforium,  of  course, 
conforms  to  the  same  rule.  At  the  same  time  the 
workmanship  improves  much,  both  in  skill  and 
taste,  and  carries  the  predominating  character  into 
the  details.  In  this  way  the  Early  Gothic  acquires 
bases,  capitals,  arch-mouldings  and  many  other 
members,  which  are  as  constant  in  their  form  as 
those  of  the  Doric  or  Ionic  orders.  Thus,  the  base 
consists  of  a hollow  between  two  rounds  with  fillets, 
with  a very  marked  horizontal  spread  of  the  lower 
part ; the  capital  is  no  longer,  as  in  the  Norman, 
a carved  and  sculptured  mass,  with  a thick  square 
abacus  above,  but  is  a graceful  bell  with  foliage 
tending  upwards,  and  curling  in  an  extremely  free 
and  elegant  manner ; and,  universally  in  England, 
often  in  France,  the  abacus  becomes  round  with  a 
characteristic  profile,  and  thus  loses  that  appear- 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


309 


ance  of  a termination  to  the  vertical  members  which 
it  had  before  exhibited.  The  mouldings  of  the  arch 
consist  of  round  and  deep  hollows,  producing  very 
strong  lines  of  shadow,  and  have  a continuous  and 
carefully  marked  section.  These  bases,  capitals, 
mouldings,  sections  of  piers,  of  window  sides,  of 
strings,  and  other  similar  features,  are  quite  as 
constant  in  their  occurence  as  the  pointed  arch, 
and  much  more  characteristic ; and  no  view  of  the 
formation  of  the  Gothic  style  at  all  touches  the 
really  important  part  of  the  subject,  which  does 
not  take  account  of  these  circumstances. 

This  being  understood,  it  will  easily  be  seen 
that  the  transition  from  Norman,  or  any  other  form 
of  Romanesque,  to  Gothic  architecture  may  be 
traced,  as  to  its  details,  in  various  ways.  Since  the 
two  styles  differ  in  so  many  points,  whenever  we 
have  some  Romanesque  and  some  Gothic  features, 
we  have  a mixture,  and  many  of  these  mixtures  are 
such  as  may  be  considered  natural  steps  in  the 
transition  ; while  other  mixtures  may  be  considered 
as  really  confusion  and  barbarism.  Thus,  in  the 
arch,  for  example,  one  mode  in  which  the  change 
may  take  place  is  by  gradually  altering  both  the 
form  and  the  mouldings.  Beginning  from  a semi- 
circular arch  with  a depressed  (rebated)  rim,  we 
may  form  one  or  two  of  the  edges  into  rolls,  we  may 
then  obscurely  point  the  arch,  and  this  is  a combi- 
nation which  we  very  frequently  find  in  Normandy  ; 


310 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


such  arches  being  mixed,  almost  indiscriminately, 
with  round  ones.  As  the  moulding  becomes  more 
multiplied  and  less  rectangular,  the  arch  may  be- 
come more  pointed ; it  may  reach  the  lancet  form  ; 
and  we  may  then  begin  to  channel  or  fashion  the 
remaining  square  edges  so  that  they  lose  their 
squareness.  This  is  done  in  the  same  district  of 
which  we  have  spoken,  for  instance  at  Norrey  and 
St  Loup.  Nothing  now  remains  but  to  give  ad- 
ditional grace  and  finish  to  the  arch-mouldings,  and 
we  may  have  the  most  beautiful  examples  of  Early 
Gothic  arches. 

Such  may  be  conceived  to  be  the  natural  'pro- 
gression of  the  arch.  But  another  kind  of  combi- 
nation occurs,  which  does  not  grow  out  of  this  pro- 
gressive developement,  and  may  be  considered  as  a 
forced  mixture.  Such  combinations  involve  a ten- 
dency of  a different  nature  from  that  of  which  we 
have  been  speaking.  When  a style  of  architecture 
is  complete,  either  in  itself,  or  in  its  reference  to  the 
wants  and  feelings  of  the  people  who  practise  it,  an 
obvious  mode  of  increasing  its  richness  and  splendor 
is  to  sculpture  the  surfaces , by  which  means  the 
essential  forms  remain  unchanged,  the  creative  ideas 
which  might  tend  to  alter  these  being  dormant. 
This  style  of  decoration  gave  us  the  beautiful  friezes 
of  Grecian  art : at  a later  period,  it  was  employed 
to  a greater  extent  in  other  orders,  and  covered  not 
only  the  friezes,  but  many  members  of  the  cornice 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


311 


with  rich  foliage.  The  Normans  applied  it  especi- 
ally to  the  architraves  of  arches.  We  find  the  same 
tendency  to  seek  splendor  in  sculpturing  and  even 
in  inlaying  surfaces,  in  Asia — as  in  both  the  styles 
of  Indian  architecture,  and  in  Persia;  probably  it 
is  universal. 

The  various  kinds  of  decoration  with  which  the 
Normans  enriched  their  architraves  are  well  known, 
and  have  been  in  some  measure  classified,  or  at 
least  named.  Probably  this  distinction  has  fallen  to 
their  lot  precisely  because  it  is  easier  to  collect  the 
details  of  a stationary  system,  than  to  trace  the 
varied  mixtures  and  vague  gradations  of  a tran- 
sition. The  latter  task  is  however  more  important, 
and  at  any  rate  it  is  our  task  at  present.  This 
sculpturing  of  surfaces  in  Norman  work  is  practised 
to  a most  prodigal  extent ; but  perhaps  the  most 
gorgeous  specimens  of  it  are  to  he  found  in  other 
parts  of  France  and  in  Italy,  where  its  career  was 
not  so  soon  or  so  decisively  interrupted  by  the  inter- 
vention of  the  Gothic. 

It  will  appear  from  this  view  of  the  matter,  that 
this  Norman  decoration  of  the  archivolt  is  no  part 
of  the  progression  towards  Gothic,  but  rather  goes 
on  the  supposition  that  such  a progression  is  not  in 
operation.  When  therefore  we  find  the  pointed 
arch  which  belongs  to  the  later  style  combined  with 
the  zigzags,  embattled  frets,  beak-heads,  and  other 
ornamental  mouldings,  which  belong  to  the  richest, 


312 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


and  it  may  be,  the  latest  Norman,  this  is  no  longer 
a transition  but  a mixt  style.  Such  examples  may 
be  collected  as  curiosities,  and  they  do  in  fact  shew 
that,  along  with  the  progression,  there  was  also  a 
struggle; — that  while  some  builders  perceived  the 
nature  and  relation  of  the  members  of  their  edifices, 
and  combined  such  details,  influenced  by  a feeling 
of  their  harmony ; others  unintelligently  took  forms 
which  they  had  seen  used,  and  ornaments  which 
they  could  readily  execute,  and  mixed  them  in  a 
manner  which  never  could  have  produced  any  thing 
complete  or  consistent.  There  are  many  such 
specimens  in  England,  and  probably  a still  greater 
number  in  Germany.  We  may  call  them  pointed 
Norman,  or  pointed  Romanesque;  and  as  has  al- 
ready been  said,  it  may  hereafter  deserve  to  be 
examined  whether  this  mixture  in  Italy  and  parts 
of  France  does  not  appear  in  such  force  as  to  re- 
quire to  be  separately  considered. 

In  the  other  mode  of  combination  of  the  two 
styles,  the  progressive  transition,  we  may  notice 
sometimes  instances  in  which  there  is  a disproportion 
between  the  different  parts  of  the  architecture,  the 
forms  and  the  details;  as,  for  instance,  where  we 
have  perfect  Gothic  mouldings,  with  arches  perfectly 
semicircular.  Here,  one  part  of  the  change  ap- 
pears to  have  got  the  start  of  the  other ; but  in 
fact  such  examples  are  often  adaptations  for  conve- 
nience, as  in  the  Abbey  gate  of  Ardenne  above 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


313 


mentioned.  Sometimes  they  may  be  mere  caprice, 
and  then  they  are  in  some  measure  open  to  the 
charge  of  barbarism ; perhaps  Glastonbury  is  not 
quite  secure  from  such  a judgment. 

But  while  this  way  of  enriching  Romanesque 
work,  by  retaining  the  forms  and  sculpturing  the 
surfaces,  did  not  naturally  lead  to  a new  style,  there 
was  another  mode  of  enrichment  which  did  tend  to 
such  a change,  namely,  the  pratice  of  multiplying 
and  repeating  the  members  of  the  architecture,  as 
windows,  pannels,  doors,  shafts,  and  pillars.  Such 
elements  being  more  and  more  multiplied,  while  the 
original  classical  principle  of  the  predominance  of 
horizontal  lines  was  quite  lost  sight  of,  the  forms  of 
buildings  became  altogether  vague  and  incoherent, 
till  the  predominance  of  vertical  lines  was  brought 
into  effect. 

A leading  circumstance  then,  in  the  formation 
of  the  Gothic  style,  is  the  introduction  of  vertical 
arrangements  and  lines  of  reference,  in  the  place 
of  the  horizontal  members,  which  predominate  in 
Grecian  and  Roman  architecture.  This  appears  to 
be  the  most  general  and  most  exact  view  which 
we  can  take  of  the  change;  and  this  view  will  be 
found  to  include  several  subordinate  principles 
which  have  been  noticed  by  various  writers. 

When  the  classical  forms  of  architecture  be- 
gan to  be  frequently  used  on  an  extensive  and 
splendid  scale  for  the  purposes  of  Christian  wor- 


314 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


ship,  the  elements  of  the  overthrow  of  that  style  of 
architecture  were  immediately  brought  into  action. 
The  architects  undertook  to  build  high  buildings, 
as  towers,  and  for  this  purpose  placed  one  story 
over  another,  accumulating  the  number  of  openings 
and  members  to  a great  amount.  How  naturally 
and  insensibly  such  towers  passed  into  the  Gothic 
style  we  have  already  seen. 

But  another  circumstance  which  perhaps  still 
more  advanced  this  change  was,  that  in  the  Chris- 
tian temples  the  worshippers  were  within  the 
temples,  and  the  edifice  was  hence  calculated  for 
an  interior  spectator.  It  is  remarkable  how  neces- 
sarily this  will  be  seen,  on  a little  consideration, 
to  change  the  whole  character  of  the  building.  A 
temple,  or  a series  of  temples,  intended  to  be  seen 
from  without , and  formed  on  the  Grecian  model, 
would  have  a line  of  entablature  which  would 
have  a natural  and  congruous  reference  to  the  hori- 
zontal line  on  which  they  stand;  and  it  would 
not  happen,  in  any  common  points  of  view,  that 
this  reference  would  he  obscure  or  interrupted. 
The  temple  would  be  seen  as  a whole,  and  the 
entablature  of  one  or  of  two  sides,  supported  by 
well  formed  pillars,  would  he  simple  or  beautiful. 
But  for  buildings  to  he  seen  from  within,  the  case 
is  different.  To  extend  them  by  an  extension  of 
horizontal  architraves  resting  on  columns,  would 
produce  a space  without  grace,  dignity,  convenience? 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


315 


or  the  possibility  of  being  lighted.  When  such 
buildings  were  made  spacious  and  splendid,  the 
height  was  increased  at  least  in  proportion  to  the 
other  dimensions,  probably  more ; and  windows, 
one  range  over  another,  were  inserted  in  order  to 
light  this  space.  The  space  was  covered  with  a 
series  of  vaults,  one  to  each  window  or  group  of 
windows;  hence,  naturally,  the  necessities  of  such 
vaulting  led  to  pointed  arches,  vertical  lines,  and 
other  Gothic  features,  as  I endeavoured  to  explain, 
after  seeing  the  results  of  such  a mode  of  building 
exhibited  in  the  Cathedrals  and  Churches  which 
border  the  Rhine.  But  I now  observe  further,  that 
even  without  taking  into  account  the  consequences 
of  vaulting,  the  interior  view  necessarily  introduced 
a style  of  building  which  had  reference  to  vertical 
lines.  The  interior  view  of  a building  occupies 
the  whole  of  our  field  of  view,  and  not  a small 
fraction  of  it  only,  like  a temple  seen  at  a little 
distance.  Hence  the  horizontal  lines  are  neces- 
sarily displaced  and  overmatched  by  the  perspec- 
tive ; the  sides,  however  long  the  building  is,  are 
reduced  to  narrow  strips  on  the  retina  of  a person 
looking  along  the  edifice;  and  the  two  vertical 
lines  which  hound  the  end  and  divide  it  from  the 
sides,  are  really  the  master  lines  of  the  whole  scene, 
controlling  and  regulating  all  the  rest.  All  the 
horizontal  lines,  however  strong  or  long,  stop  or 
bend  when  they  come  to  these  vertical  boundaries ; 


316 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


and  the  spaces  on  one  side  or  on  the  other  of  them 
(a  side  and  an  end)  are  occupied  by  forms  and 
combinations  altogether  different.  The  building 
will  therefore  then  only  be  reduced  to  harmony 
and  consistency  when  the  principle  lines  and  mem- 
bers of  the  architecture  submit  to  be  regulated  by 
these  irresistible  lines.  When  the  series  of  vertical 
vaulting-shafts  has  established  this  subordination 
throughout  the  building,  all  the  rest  of  the  mem- 
bers readily  receive  a Gothic  character  from  their 
place  and  bearing.  This  predominance  of  the 
vertical  angle-lines  is  associated  with  the  effect  of 
the  vaulting  in  most  German,  and  many  French, 
instances ; for  the  building  is  terminated  by  an 
apse,  and  the  vertical  lines  which  make  the  angles 
of  the  apse,  are  led  up  to  a vault,  from  which  the 
vaulting-cells  diverge. 

The  manner  in  which  the  establishment  of  the 
authority  of  vertical  instead  of  horizontal  lines 
induces  all  the  features  of  the  Gothic,  need  not 
here  be  insisted  on : but  it  may  be  observed,  that 
we  are  led  by  these  considerations  to  the  conviction, 
that  the  seeds  of  destruction  were  sown  in  the 
system  of  Classical  architecture  as  soon  as  the  arch 
was  introduced.  For,  what  was  the  arch  to  do,  and 
where  was  it  to  be  put  ? It  was  placed  for  a long 
while  between  two  columns,  having  its  own  impost, 
and  leaving  the  columns  to  do  their  own  work 
in  supporting  the  entablature.  But  why  were 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


317 


the  arch  and  entablature  to  be  both  there?  The 
entablature  was  to  consist  of  large  blocks,  strong 
enough  to  support  themselves  as  lintels : the  arch 
was  to  supersede  the  necessity  of  such  blocks.  Here 
therefore  was  no  consistency.  Again,  the  arch  was 
in  fact  the  principal  line  of  the  opening,  notwith- 
standing that  the  Homans  did  not  allow  it  to  he 
attended  by  any  thing  more  than  the  architrave: 
and  the  columns  were  the  principal  supports. — 
Why  then  should  not  the  columns  support  the 
arch?— This  was  accordingly  soon  done,  as  in  Dio- 
clesian’s  palace  at  Spalatro.  But  when  this  occurs, 
there  is  an  end  to  the  supremacy  of  the  horizontal 
entablature  lines.  Why  should  not  the  arch  take 
all  the  cornice  mouldings,  and  the  entablature  dis- 
appear altogether?  There  is  no  stability  in  the 
Homan  system  ; nothing  satisfactory,  nothing  final. 

This  architecture  therefore  went  on,  as  on  these 
principles  it  should  have  done,  breaking  up  more 
and  more.  Arches,  columns  supporting  arches, 
one  order  over  another,  one  story  over  another, 
tall  towers  with  many  windows,  coupled  pillars, 
grouped  openings,  innumerable  attempts  at  variety, 
repetitions,  multiplications  and  modifications,  were 
introduced.  All  the  forms  and  rules  of  classical 
architecture  were  cast  loose,  and  there  was  no 
longer  any  fixed  model  or  limit  to  the  caprice  or 
adaptations  of  the  builder. 

I have  said  that  it  appears  to  me  hopeless  and 


318 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


useless  to  attempt  to  decide  by  what  accident,  by 
what  particular  architect,  and  at  what  exact 
period  the  first  pointed  arches  were  constructed. 
I would  not  however  he  understood  as  if  I thought 
that  the  formation  of  the  beautiful  and  perfect 
style  of  architecture  to  which  this  arch  principally 
belongs  had  gone  on  by  an  imperceptible  and  in- 
evitable gradation,  directed  by  persons  unconscious 
of  what  they  were  doing.  There  must  have 
been  concerned  in  the  production  of  this  style  of 
building,  men  of  great  taste  and  feeling  for  the 
beauty  of  art,  of  great  skill  and  knowledge  in  con- 
struction, of  great  genius  and  power  of  seizing 
the  thoughts  which  large  masses  of  mankind  fol- 
low and  assent  to.  And  it  is  perhaps  made  more 
clear  by  what  has  now  been  said,  in  what  the 
genius  and  talent  of  such  men  shewed  itself.  The 
influence  of  such  persons  was  wanted,  in  order  to 
give  a new  principle  of  unity  to  that  which  had 
lost  the  old  one.  The  ornaments,  openings,  win- 
dows, pillars,  which  had  formerly  been  governed 
by  the  most  imperative  rules  of  horizontal  arrange- 
ment, had  been  disbanded,  or  at  least  their  dis- 
cipline had  become  good  for  nothing.  The  Gothic 
architect  restored  the  reign  of  order,  and  rallied 
these  vague  elements  in  a vertical  line.  A new 
thought,  a new  idea,  was  infused  into  the  con- 
ception of  such  members,  which  at  once  gave  them 
connexion  and  fixity.  The  previous  change  from 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


319 


classical  architecture  had  been  a breaking  up  of 
the  connexion  of  parts,  multiplicity  without  fer- 
tility, violation  of  rules  without  gaining  of  objects, 
degradation,  barbarism.  The  change  now  became 
the  formation  of  connexion ; the  establishment  of 
arrangements  which  were  fertile  in  beautiful  and 
convenient  combinations ; reformation ; selection  of 
the  good,  rejection  of  the  mere  customary.  We  have 
therefore  to  suppose  that  some  among  the  architects 
of  the  11th  and  12th  century,  or  they  who  first 
seized  and  used  and  diffused  these  new  ideas,  were 
most  deserving  of  all  our  interest,  all  our  honour. 

The  account  which  has  been  given  of  the 
original  formation  of  the  Gothic  style  is  consistent 
with  all  those  hypotheses  which  ascribe  the  in- 
vention of  the  style  to  one  or  other  of  the  neces- 
sities of  the  construction ; for  instance,  to  the  neces- 
sity of  having  arches  of  the  same  height  and  of 
different  widths  for  the  purpose  of  vaulting;  and 
to  the  necessity  of  having  narrower  pier-arches  at 
the  apse  than  in  the  sides;  both  which  objects 
are  effectually  provided  for  by  the  application  of 
the  pointed  arch,  and  each  of  which  has  by  some 
been  supposed  to  have  caused  its  introduction.  It 
may  he  observed  in  addition  to  what  has  been 
said  of  the  peculiar  effect  of  an  end , in  the  interior 
view  of  a building,  that  this  effect  is  somewhat 
modified  by  the  practice  which  obtained  from  the 
earliest  periods  in  Christian  buildings,  (as  in  basi- 


320 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


licas,  their  prototypes,)  of  making  the  extremity 
of  the  plan  semicircular.  The  division  of  the  sides 
and  the  end  became  by  this  means  less  harsh  and 
sudden,  but  the  effect  of  the  vertical  dividing 
line,  the  supreme  control  which  it  exerts  over  all 
lines  which  meet  it,  the  difference  of  the  apparent 
arrangement  of  the  parts  on  one  side  of  it  and 
on  the  other,  remain  undiminished  ; while  the  con- 
nexion of  the  vertical  lines  which  lead  up  to  the 
roof,  with  the  sloping  curves  which  compose  it,  is 
by  this  means  more  completely  forced  upon  the  eye. 

We  may  suppose  therefore,  as  we  have  in  fact 
abundant  evidence  in  our  round-arch  buildings, 
that  the  necessity  of  some  contrivance  for  the  pur- 
poses just  mentioned  was  felt  before  the  adoption 
of  the  pointed  arch.  Round  arches  stilted , as  it 
has  been  termed,  that  is,  raised  by  the  addition 
of  a vertical  portion  in  each  side,  were  very  fre- 
quently used ; and  by  imperfect  working  and  other 
accidents  these  became  horse-shoe  arches,  and  other 
forms,  which  can  prove  nothing  but  the  insuf- 
ficiency of  the  semicircular  arch  alone  for  the 
general  purposes  of  construction.  The  apsidal  end 
at  an  earlier  period  appears  to  have  been  con- 
structed without  aisles  or  pier  arches,  being  formed 
of  two  or  three  stories  of  smaller  windows  or 
pannels ; but  where  the  aisle  was  carried  round  it, 
stilted  arches  were  used  here  also,  as  at  St  Mary 
Capitoline  in  Cologne.  While  these  imperfect  and 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


321 


detached  contrivances  prevailed,  the  pointed  arch 
was  probably  sometimes  used,  among  other  forms, 
previous  to  its  general  use.  But  at  last,  as  I have 
already  said,  some  master-spirit  seized  the  principle 
which  reduced  all  these  broken  and  discordant 
elements  to  harmony.  It  was  perceived  that — by 
treating  the  pier  and  the  arch  as  a collection  of 
members  of  the  same  kind ; by  substituting  fine 
bundles  of  moulding  for  the  edges  of  a perforation 
in  a wall;  by  carrying  leading  lines  from  the  floor 
to  the  vault,  and  by  arranging  all  the  smaller 
portions  with  reference  to  the  symmetry  of  the 
compartments  thus  produced;  by  rejecting  or  sub- 
ordinating all  horizontal  entablatures,  square  aba- 
cuses, flat  tops  of  arches,  rectangular  surfaces : — 
there  was  produced  a consistent  and  satisfactory 
whole.  It  was  seen  that  the  system  thus  formed 
presented  a harmony  in  its  lines  and  divisions  to 
the  internal  spectator;  was  capable  of  being  formed 
into  the  boldest  and  loftiest  towers  ; was  susceptible 
of  almost  inexhaustible  modification,  without  any 
violence  to  its  constituent  members,  and  of  almost 
unbounded  decoration,  without  obscuring  its  charac- 
teristic features ; and  thus  possessed  a principle 
of  vitality  and  unity  which  made  it  a style  of 
architecture,  as  its  utility  and  convenience  made 
it  a mode  of  building.  For  mere  convenience  may 
lead  to  and  suggest  forms  and  artifices,  but  can 
never  elevate  them  into  an  object  of  taste.  A 
22 


322 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


cotton-mill  or  an  engine-house  are  constructed  with 
a perfect  adaptation  to  their  purposes,  and  with 
many  very  skilful  contrivances,  but  yet  they  have 
never  given  rise  to  a style  of  architecture. 

The  perception  of  the  possibility  of  making  a 
harmonious  and  satisfactory  style  which  should  pro- 
vide for  all  the  conditions  of  internal  perspective, 
cross-vaulting,  apsidal  aisles,  lofty  towers,  varied 
plans,  profuse  ornament,  may  well  be  considered 
as  a discovery ; yet  it  was  probably  not  the  work 
of  one  mind,  nor  distinctly  conceived  as  a novelty 
by  those  who  had  the  greatest  share  in  its  forma- 
tion ; they  were  perhaps  hardly  aware  that  they 
were  creating  a new  form  of  works  of  architecture, 
any  more  than  the  Homeric  bards,  or  the  founders 
of  Grecian  tragedy  or  of  English  tragedy,  were 
aware  that  they  were  creating  a new  form  of 
poetical  composition. 

Of  the  Intersection  Theory. 

But  though  the  account  which  I have  given 
of  the  formation  of  the  Gothic  style  is  consistent 
with  several  of  the  hypotheses  of  the  origin  of  the 
pointed  arch  which  have  been  advanced,  there  is 
one  hypothesis  on  that  subject,  perhaps  the  most 
attractive  at  first  sight,  (for  it  appears  to  have 
attracted  the  greatest  number  of  casual  speculators,) 
to  which  the  above  views  lend  no  countenance,  and 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


323 


which  I believe  will  not  be  found  to  be  supported 
by  any  critical  examination  of  the  subject.  I speak 
of  the  opinion  which  supposes  the  pointed  arch  to 
have  originated  in  the  intersecting  arcades  so  com- 
mon in  Norman  and  other  Romanesque  work. — 
We  have  lines  of  shafts  or  pilasters,  and  semicircular 
arches  connecting  each  of  these  with  the  alternate 
ones.  In  this  manner,  between  each  two  conti- 
guous divisions  is  formed  a pointed  arch ; and  by 
taking  these  pointed  arches  and  using  them  for  all 
purposes,  arose  the  Gothic  style. — Dr  Milner  even 
pretended  to  give  the  date,  building,  and  person, 
to  which  this  accidental  discovery  is  to  be  ascribed. 
The  church  of  St  Cross  near  Winchester,  built 
in  1126  by  Henry  of  Blois,  has  intersecting  arches 
in  the  triforium  of  the  choir,  and  the  pointed- 
arched  intervals  of  these  arcades  are  perforated  as 
windows,  so  that  the  semicircular  arches  within 
give  pointed  openings  without.  These  are  the 
earliest  English  pointed  arches ; from  these  all 
others  are  derived. 

Observe  what  this  theory  takes  for  granted 
that  men’s  minds  were  so  ready  for  the  formation  of 
a new  style,  that  when  this  pointed  arch  was  once 
placed  before  them,  they  adopted  and  repeated  it,  to 
the  rejection  of  all  the  other  forms  which  were 
produced  by  accidental  combinations,  to  the  rejec- 
tion of  the  round  arch,  which  they  had  been  ac- 
customed to  for  centuries  upon  centuries : — that 

22 — 2 


324 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


they  employed  this  form  in  situations  where  inter- 
secting arches  never  had  occurred  and  never  would 
have  occurred ; that  they  modified  all  the  other 
parts  of  buildings  at  the  same  time  that  they  intro- 
duced this  feature ; and  this,  though  these  modifi- 
cations for  the  most  part  do  not  exhibit  the  form  of 
the  pointed  arch,  but  others  quite  different,  as  for 
instance,  mouldings,  pinnacles,  tracery.  Surely 
these  are  changes  which  require  some  notice  in  a 
theory  which  pretends  to  account  for  any  thing. 
There  are  here  many  facts  quite  as  difficult  to  ex- 
plain as  the  discovery  of  a pointed  arch  would  be, 
even  supposing  the  discoverer  had  not  seen  an  inter- 
secting arcade.  The  intersection  offered  the  pointed 
arch ; but  what  induced  men  to  take  it  ? How  came 
their  minds  in  this  state?  so  ready  to  accept  a 
novelty;  and  not  only  to  follow  it  out  to  its  con- 
sequences, but  to  invent  a system  in  which  it  should 
be  one  feature  amongst  many ; to  associate  it  in 
extensive  combinations ; to  invest  it  with  a signi- 
fication which  alone,  or  otherwise  treated,  it  would 
by  no  means  possess? 

To  shew  by  what  accident  or  necessity  such  a 
form  might  occur,  is  no  more  a reasonable  expla- 
nation of  the  pointed  style,  than  it  is  a reasonable 
explanation  of  the  origin  of  the  alphabet  to  shew 
how  the  form  of  an  A might  accidentally  or  neces- 
sarily be  produced. 

This  is  the  reasoning  which  the  principles  of  the 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


325 


subject  suggest.  With  regard  to  the  circumstances 
with  which  Dr  Milner  has  invested  the  hypothesis, 
they  offer  so  many  flat  contradictions  that  it  is  quite 
wonderful  how  any  system  could  have  for  a moment 
blinded  a person  to  them.  For  these  original  pointed 
arches  at  St  Cross  are  small  arches,  occurring, 
as  has  been  said,  in  the  triforium.  Of  course,  the 
reader  would  inevitably  imagine  that  the  parts 
built  before  these  first  of  pointed  arches  must  all  be 
in  round  arches.  He  will  therefore  be  in  no  small 
degree  surprized  when  he  visits  this  church,  and 
finds  that  the  large  pier-arches  of  this  very  choir, 
which  must  have  been  built  before  this  triforium,  as 
they  immediately  support  it,  are  as  good  pointed 
arches  as  any  building  of  the  13th  century  can  shew; 
that  moreover  there  are  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
building  several  pointed  arches  with  Norman  mould- 
ings, and  among  the  rest,  all  the  vaulting  of  the 
side-aisles  of  this  very  choir ; while  on  the  other 
hand  in  the  upper  part,  necessarily  built  after  these 
intersecting  semicircles,  and  open  to  all  the  improve- 
ments their  construction  could  suggest,  the  cleres- 
tory windows,  openings  of  the  same  kind  and  size  as 
those  in  the  triforium,  have  not  taken  the  hint,  but 
are  round-headed  windows  with  bands  of  character- 
istic ornament  outside. 

I do  not  think  that  any  one  church  can  be  con- 
ceived more  adverse  to  the  intersection  theory  than 
this  is.  The  theory  has,  as  I have  said,  something 


326 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


taking  about  it : if  any  one  wishes  to  see  how  entirely 
it  is  contradicted  by  facts,  St  Cross  is  as  strong  an 
example  as  stone  and  mortar  can  make. 

Dr  Milner,  who  thus  undertook  to  penetrate  to 
the  origin  of  Gothic  architecture,  built  a chapel 
after  his  own  designs  at  Winchester,  and  the  visitor 
may  from  that  specimen  judge  of  the  degree  of  critical 
accuracy  which  he  possessed  in  respect  to  such  mat- 
ters. It  is  no  reproach  to  him  that  he  was  no  better 
a Gothic  architect  than  many  professional  architects 
of  that  day ; but  it  must  be  allowed  that  it  would 
have  been  difficult  to  shew  less  accuracy  of  observa- 
tion in  his  imitation  than  he  has  done.  The  whole 
and  the  details  are  as  paltry,  inconsistent,  and  un- 
like our  old  churches,  as  any  of  the  so-called  Gothic 
works  of  the  last  century. 

It  was  not  therefore  to  be  expected  that  Dr 
Milner  should  endeavour  to  prove  or  try  his  point 
by  the  examination  of  mouldings  and  other  details. 
If  he  had  done  so,  he  would  still  have  found  the 
evidence  altogether  against  his  theory.  The  fact 
manifestly  is,  that  these  triforium  openings  have 
been  cut  at  some  succeeding  period,  the  15th  century 
as  likely  as  any  other,  when,  in  consequence  of  stop- 
ping up  the  east  windows,  or  from  some  other  cause, 
additional  light  was  desired.  They  are  really  mere 
perforations,  with  no  external  moulding  of  any  kind; 
and,  while  the  round-headed  windows  both  above 
and  below  them  are  richly  ornamented,  these  cele- 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


327 


brated  pointed  holes  have  no  more  ornament  than 
the  lights  of  a barn,  and  the  stones  which  form  their 
points  lie  in  horizontal  courses,  the  joints  having  no 
reference  to  the  head-lines  of  these  holes. 

There  are  various  instances  which  prove  that 
when  it  was  desired  to  obtain  light  through  these 
intersecting  arcades,  the  contrivance  which  immedi- 
ately suggested  itself  was  not  that  of  piercing  the 
pointed  space.  In  the  remarkable  Norman  church 
of  Graville  on  the  opposite  coast  of  France,  we  have 
an  evidence  of  this.  There  is  a group  of  intersecting 
arches  at  the  end  of  the  north  transept ; and  in  the 
middle  one  of  the  pointed  compartments  thus  pro- 
duced, is  a i'ound-headed  window,  leaving,  near 
the  point  of  intersection,  a part  of  the  pointed  space 
not  removed.  But  without  going  so  far,  if  Dr 
Milner,  turning  his  eyes  for  a moment  from  St  Cross, 
had  lifted  them  to  the  gable  end  of  the  transept  of 
Winchester  cathedral,  which  looks  towards  St  Cross, 
he  would  have  seen  the  same  combination  ; — a group 
of  intersecting  arches,  with  a round-headed  window, 
originally,  as  appears  by  the  arch-stones,  pierced  in 
one  of  the  compartments.  It  appears,  therefore,  that 
there  was  a time  when  the  mere  sight  of  a pointed 
compartment,  and  the  formation  of  a window  in  it,  did 
not  lead  men  a single  step  to  the  pointed-arch  style. 

I by  no  means  pretend  to  say  that  the  hypo- 
thesis of  intersecting  arches  is  clearly  a priori  im- 
possible. It  might  have  been  true,  for  any  thing 


328 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


which  we  can  prove ; and  it  is  not  difficult  to  see 
what  the  facts  must  have  been  to  establish  our  con- 
viction of  its  truth.  Let  it  be  supposed  that  in- 
tersecting round  arches  and  arcades  occur  frequently, 
and  upon  a large  scale  as  well  as  a small  one ; that 
the  pointed-arch  spaces  so  produced  are  often 
pierced; — that  such  pointed  spaces,  preserving  the 
mouldings  of  the  round  arches  which  gave  rise  to 
them,  are  used  in  the  situations  in  which  round- 
headed  openings  were  used  before; — that  the  mould- 
ings in  some  cases  begin  to  have  a reference  to 
the  pointed  arch,  instead  of  the  original  circle; — 
that  this  reference  appears  in  different  degrees  of 
prominence,  ending  in  that  where  the  reference 
to  the  original  circle  vanishes : let  it  be  supposed, 
moreover,  that  while  this  change  of  the  moulded 
line  takes  place,  there  is  a corresponding  series 
of  gradations  in  the  mouldings  themselves,  begin- 
ning with  pure  Norman  in  the  intersecting  circles, 
and  tending  towards  Gothic  in  the  pointed  spaces, 
as  the  Norman  lines  and  ornaments  fade  away: — 
let  such  a collection  of  instances  he  produced,  and 
we  will  allow  the  intersection  theory  to  be  indeed 
highly  plausible. 

But  how  much  of  this  is  the  fact?  Scarcely 
a single  point.  There  are  hardly  any  large  inter- 
secting arcades : there  are  none  of  these  pierced 
with  pointed  arches ; they  never  occur  at  all  in 
those  situations  where  the  pointed  arch  first  oc- 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


329 


curs,  in  the  pier-arches  ; the  cases  of  intersecting 
arcades  are  exactly  the  situations  in  which  the 
round-headed  arch  remains,  when  the  rest  of  the 
building  has  the  arches  pointed,  as  in  small  win- 
dows and  pannels.  The  cases  in  which  pointed 
arches  first  occur  have  never  any  trace  of  the  circles 
which  must  intersect  to  produce  them.  In  the 
few  cases  in  which  small  pointed  openings  are  pro- 
duced by  intersecting  circles,  there  is  no  reference 
of  the  mouldings  to  the  pointed  part.  There  is 
no  where  any  mixed  reference  of  the  mouldings 
partly  to  the  pointed  space  and  partly  to  the  circle; 
and  there  is  no  trace  of  an  approach  to  Gothic 
mouldings  in  any  case  where  the  intersecting  arches 
occur.  Every  fact  which  can  be  imagined  to  point 
out  a gradation  of  adaptations,  a transition  in 
forms,  an  alteration  in  style,  is  altogether  wanting. 
Wherever  we  find  intersecting  arches,  they  have 
the  most  rigid  and  unmingled  Norman  character; 
and  the  few  cases  in  which  the  pointed  spaces  are 
pierced  are  either  the  performances  of  succeeding 
times,  as  at  St  Cross,  or  the  caprices  of  Norman 
work,  which  sometimes  clothed  in  its  peculiar  suit 
of  ornaments  a pointed  arch,  however  produced, 
and  seems  to  have  so  dealt  with  pointed  arches 
arising  from  intersection,  in  one  or  two  examples. 
I think  there  is  one  at  Canterbury  ; but  if  there 
be,  it  exhibits  no  more  tendency  to  Gothic  than 
the  door  of  St  George  of  Bocherville. 


330 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


I have  probably  said  as  much  about  the  origin 
of  the  Gothic  style,  and  about  the  intersection 
theory  in  particular,  as  is  at  all  needful  at  present, 
and  I will  now  quit  the  subject. 


Comparison  of  French  and  English  Decorated. 

Having  found  our  Early  English  style  so  com- 
pletely exhibited  in  Normandy,  we  were  very  de- 
sirous of  discovering  also  some  specimens  precisely 
exhibiting  that  style  which  Mr  Hickman  has  called 
the  Deeorated.  This  is,  as  the  reader  knows, 
characterized  with  us  by  its  window-tracery,  geo- 
metrical in  the  early  instances,  flowing  in  the  later; 
but  also,  and  perhaps  better,  by  its  triangular  ca- 
nopies, crocketed  and  finialed,  its  niched  but- 
tresses with  triangular  heads,  its  peculiar  mould- 
ings, no  longer  a collection  of  equal  rounds  with 
hollows  like  the  Early  English,  but  an  assemblage 
of  various  members,  some  broad  and  some  narrow, 
beautifully  grouped  and  proportioned.  Among 
these  mouldings,  one  is  often  found  consisting  of 
a roll  with  an  edge  which  separates  it  into  two 
parts,  the  roll  on  one  side  the  edge  being  part  of 
a thinner  cylinder,  and  withdrawn  a little  within 
the  other.  A capital  of  crumpled  leaves,  a pecu- 
liar base  and  pedestal  also,  belong  to  this  style. 
We  wished  much  to  compare  the  French  speci- 
mens of  such  a style  (that  of  the  first  half  of  the 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


331 


14th  century)  with  our  English  ones,  as  we  had 
compared  the  styles  which  preceded  and  those 
which  succeeded  this  in  the  two  countries.  The 
agreement  was  perhaps  too  much  to  expect,  for 
with  us  this  is  much  the  most  scarce  of  the  styles 
of  our  architecture,  and  was  practised,  it  would 
seem,  for  the  shortest  time.  The  Early  English 
prevailed  probably  before  1200  and  after  1300; 
the  Perpendicular  reigned  from  soon  after  1360  to 
the  revival  of  Italian  art,  and  was  very  well  ex- 
ecuted in  1500.  The  Decorated,  on  the  other 
hand,  in  its  purity  belongs  to  the  interval  of  a 
half-century  thus  left ; and  it  is  perhaps  hardly 
likely  that  this  period  should  be  sufficient  for  de- 
veloping it  in  the  two  countries,  with  its  national 
distinctions.  We  had  however  found  some  dear 
instances  of  it;  and  if  we  could  have  added  one 
good  building  in  this  style,  we  should  have  made 
our  comparison  with  considerable  confidence.  We 
were  led  to  expect  that  Caudebec  was  such  a spe- 
cimen ; but  this  church  turned  out  to  be  a highly 
florid  Flamboyant  building,  exhibiting  the  features 
of  that  style  with  very  considerable  exaggeration ; 
and  with  a west  front  and  a spire  far  more  elabo- 
rate than  any  of  the  buildings  hitherto  mentioned. 
We  were  therefore  left  to  ground  our  comparison 
on  such  buildings  as  we  had  previously  seen. 

St  Ouen,  at  Rouen,  which  belongs  to  our 
Decorated  date  (1320),  also  exhibits  many  of  the 


332 


NOTES  ON  A TOUR 


features  of  our  style  at  that  period ; not  only  in 
its  tracery,  which,  as  we  have  already  said,  appears 
in  France  along  with  the  preceding  style,  hut  also 
in  many  more  decisive  features ; thus  the  bases 
with  their  polygonal  pedestals,  the  capitals  of 
crumpled  leaves,  run  through  all  the  original  parts 
of  this  building.  The  mouldings  also  are,  in  many 
parts,  good  Decorated  mouldings ; hut  this  speci- 
men wants  many  of  the  good  features  of  our  De- 
corated work,  as  the  enrichments  of  the  buttresses, 
and  the  canopies  of  the  windows;  and  is  on  the 
whole  too  plain,  except  in  some  particular  portions, 
to  be  a good  example.  The  choir  of  the  church 
at  Jumieges  is  a more  characteristic  specimen,  and 
the  section  of  its  piers  is  as  good  as  possible ; but 
the  bases  of  the  piers  are  almost  all  that  remain 
of  this  part  of  the  building.  The  abbey  of  Ar- 
denne,  near  Caen,  approaches  near  to  this  style; 
its  mouldings  are  very  good,  but  still  it  does  not 
exemplify  all  the  characters.  The  old  church  of 
St  Germain  at  Pont-audemer  has,  in  its  south 
aisle,  work  of  this  kind,  but  the  windows  are  nearly 
all  that  remain.  The  best  example,  of  a small 
church,  is  that  of  Tour  en  Eessin,  near  Bayeux, 
of  which  the  choir,  when  complete,  must  have 
been  a most  admirable  exhibition  of  this  kind  of 
architecture ; and  here  we  have  a wall-arcade  of 
triangular  canopies  crocketed  and  finialed,  excel- 
lent windows,  and  a singularly  skilful  and  elegant 


IN  PICARDY  AND  NORMANDY. 


333 


arrangement  of  vaulting.  With  these  examples  we 
can  have  no  doubt  that  this  style  did  prevail  in 
France  nearly  in  the  same  form,  and  about  the 
same  time,  as  in  England ; but  we  still  want  some 
large  and  rich  building  to  make  us  acquainted 
with  the  manner  in  which  its  details  were  worked, 
and  to  enable  us  to  institute  such  a parallel  with 
our  English  work  as  in  the  case  of  the  Early 
Gothic  of  the  two  countries,  and  in  that  of  the 
Tudor  architecture  of  England  compared  with  the 
Flamboyant  architecture  of  France,  we  have  now 
no  difficulty  in  making. 


THE  END. 


fo-  2 


I 


